Scott Laughton is a really good player on a cheap contract. I don’t want to move a 1st for him but the hate for him is very weird.
Please explain me how he is a really good player. He is a glorified Chris Tierney that plays harder. His stats are inflated because he receives top-6 minutes and PP time on a really bad team.
I mean, we traded a comfortably better version in Connor Brown (better offensively and defensively, better skater) for a 2nd in 2024 just last off-season.
If we end up trading Brannstrom or a 1st to get him, it would cement Dorion's legacy even more and how hurtful his asset management is
That is a pretty awful trade for Philly. Joseph is a cap dump and Brannstrom has very little value.
Believe me, they make out like bandits here. I'll need to bring some facts I guess
First, Joseph produce a bit less but is better defensively and has had elite metrics on the PK. He's a better skater too and 3 years younger.
Upgrading Joseph to Laughton for a bit more offense (which is the opposite of what we need) shouldn't cost you a 1st or Brannstrom. You are getting BENT if you pay anything like that
Some copy/paste of my previous posts elsewhere because Flyers fans have been wanting to rip Dorion off too with this for a while :
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I wouldn't trade Brannstrom for Laughton who is suddenly quite overrated for some reason. The guy turns 30 y/o soon. He's a bit better than Joseph offensively but worse defensively
Look at his TOI, He's an average bottom-6 forward that got inflated stats because of usage on a terrible team. He played 18:17 per game last season, this is Tkachuk ice-time
Out of 458 forwards who played at least 200 ES minutes, Laughton ranks 320th in Pts/60... He's actually below average. You know who has a similar Pts/60? Colin White than the Sens bought out a year ago...
On the other side, look at Brannstrom metrics, he's a young 2-way D-man who is already excellent defensively and in transition. If he starts putting more points, his value is going to skyrocket"
Duclair just got traded for a 5th and a 4th liner. Reilly Smith for a 3rd round pick
Chris Tierney in 2018-19 was 24 y/o and scored 48 pts (Laughton had 43 pts last season). Why do you think? He was playing 17 mins a game and given PP time on a bad team, exactly like Laughton.
And I think you're underrating Brannstrom big time. And he has proven he could handle bigger minutes too. He has looked very good in some games where Chabot was hurt and EB was playing 23+ minutes. I know he has no long term future in Ottawa but it's doesn't matter. You have to see players as assets too.
