The center market is being depleted by the day. Earlier in the week, Vancouver set the market by giving up a package of picks and prospects for Elias Lindholm. On Friday, Montreal cashed in the inexpensive contract of Sean Monahan for a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 3rd.
What this may do is convince other teams with centers to get into the market before March 8 and shop someone that may not have been available before.
Following up on something I posted the other day after Philadelphia signed Ryan Poehling to a two-year contract extension. Philly is, in fact, now willing to consider offers on team leader Scott Laughton although they won't consider lowball offers.
Right before the 2021 trade deadline, the Flyers were offered a conditional first-round pick (believed to be from then-Pittsburgh general manager Ron Hextall) in exchange for Laughton. However, then Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher turned down the offer on deadline day. Philadelphia chose instead to re-sign Laughton (an impending UFA at the time) to a five-year extension at a $3M cap hit.
Last summer, it was widely rumored that Philly had a first-round pick offer for Laughton but turned it down. I was subsequently told that, while there were offers for Laughton, there was NOT a first-rounder presented at the time.
Laughton is not a big scorer and he's not having one of his better seasons. Nonetheless, he is stll coveted by contending teams. He can play any forward position with equal comfort. He's a very good penalty killer. He is THE best leader on Philly (the only player that John Tortorella approved to wear an A on his uniform, and the team is without a formal captain for the second straight year). Great work ethic. Can move up and down the lineup as needed on the second (as a winger), third (center or wing) or fourth (center or wing) line. A perennial King Clancy Award contender (although he has yet to win it) for his on-ice leadership and competitiveness and his off-ice community involvement.
In short, there's a lot more to Laughton than his statistics. He's EXACTLY the kind of affordable player that contenders need in the mix, and such players are not nearly as easy to come by as some folks think they are.
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) January 5, 2021