Analyst Pegs Other Maple Leafs Pending UFA as Perfect Fit for the Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers have been heavily linked to Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann in recent weeks as the club continues its search for an impactful top-nine forward ahead of the March 6 NHL trade deadline.

McMann makes a ton of sense for GM Stan Bowman to target, and all of the recent rumors suggest he’s exactly what Edmonton is looking to acquire. That said, plenty of contending teams around the league will have interest in McMann, so one analyst believes it could be in the Oilers’ best interest to turn to a different Maple Leafs forward in the final year of his contract: Scott Laughton.

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Martin Biron broke down Laughton’s potential fit in Edmonton during a segment for TSN on Wednesday.

Biron said:

“For me, it’s Scott Laughton, and Laughton is a $1.5 million contract, so it’s not a big cap hit when you look at trying to fit the player under your cap. He’s a UFA at the end of the year. And down the middle, when you look at the Oilers, they’ve got McDavid, they have Draisaitl, they have an injury to Adam Henrique, and he’s going to be out a while. So, you’re saying, ‘Okay, can we mix and match somebody that will fit as a third-line center and maybe would be better suited as a fourth-line center if and when Henrique comes back?’ I think Scotty Laughton would be perfect for the Edmonton Oilers,”

The 31-year-old Laughton is, of course, a pending UFA in the fifth and final year of the five-year, $15 million extension signed with the Flyers back in 2021. He’s tallied 11 points (eight goals, three assists) across 39 games played with the Maple Leafs Toronto this season.

Scott Laughton is Another Solid Option for the Oilers

While most of the focus has been on McMann—and rightfully so—Biron’s idea of Edmonton instead targeting Laughton does make some sense.

The longtime Philadelphia Flyer plays a similar hard-nosed game to McMann, though he is more versatile, capable of playing center or wing anywhere in the lineup, while also being a tremendous penalty killer.

Though the offensive production hasn’t been there in Toronto, Laughton has consistently shown the ability to contribute on the scoresheet, having hit the double-digit goal mark seven times in his career. Not to mention, he brings a decent amount of playoff experience, and his in-your-face style of play is perfectly suited for the postseason.

McMann may possess slightly more upside at this point in their careers, but Laughton still has plenty working in his favor, so if the price to land the Wainwright, Alberta native gets out of hand, the Oilers could have a strong alternative. One way or another, it’s starting to feel like Bowman and Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving are bound to connect a deal of substance in the coming weeks.

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