Scott Laughton is coming back to Philadelphia. The Flyers have recalled their top prospect from the Ontario Hockey League, where he just completed his fourth and final season with the Oshawa Generals. The Generals were swept out of the postseason on Wednesday night by the Brampton Battalion.
Laughton’s turning pro now, and he’s already played five games with the Flyers. We’re pretty certain he’s NHL ready, and he’s eligible to play in the postseason. So will he?
If Scott Laughton appears in nine or fewer #NHL playoff games, his entry-level contract will still slide. #Flyers
— CapGeek (@capgeek) April 24, 2014
Laughton could theoretically play the remainder of the first round and then some, and the Flyers still wouldn’t burn that valuable first year of his entry-level contract. (And if he winds up playing in nine playoff games, that’ll mean the Flyers are playing well, are in the second-round at least, and that Laughton’s earned that spot. In that case, who cares about that year of his ELC?)
Laughton’s a good player, and if the Flyers want to throw him in over Zac Rinaldo or maybe Michael Raffl (who’s been good this year but not great in these playoffs so far), it could be to their benefit. But there’s always the chance — probably even the likelihood — that he’s only joining the Flyers as a Black Ace, here to practice and get the experience of being around a playoff club, but nothing more. That’d be okay too.
Hey, either way … Laughton’s a full-time pro beginning right now, and that’s pretty exciting.
