Scott Laughton's lack of ice time against the Golden Knights explained
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Scott Laughton got a raw deal on Friday night against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and Craig Berube has been asked to explain himself.
Throughout this season, Scott Laughton has been given 14 minutes of ice time per night, which is absolutely valid given his play.
While the forward hasn't been producing a ton of points, he has been able to be defensively responsible. Not to mention, he brings the passion.
On Friday against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Laughton only played nine minutes, and it felt like he was being benched in the second period.
The fans were looking for answers, especially as the Leafs could have used a huge boost. It's no coincidence that Laughton scored a goal once he was put back on the ice.
Craig Berube explains Scott Laughton snub
While speaking to reporters today, Berube noted that the benching was for a good reason. It all had to do with the fact that he was shortening the bench to two lines so the team could make a comeback.
Well, he's been playing 14 minutes a night for the most part. Last night we were down in the game. I went with two lines in that second period for a little bit to get caught up. That's what happened there.
If you are a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, you are probably a big fan of Laughton these days when you consider his effort.
However, the Maple Leafs as a whole need to be better, and a fourth line center alone isn't going to fix this team's fortunes.
At the end of the day, the Leafs need to start winning games. If the Boston Bruins win tonight, the Leafs will be five points out of a playoff spot.
That is the worst case scenario for the Maple Leafs, and with the Colorado Avalanche coming up, something needs to change.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 24|313 ANSWERS Scott Laughton's lack of ice time against the Golden Knights explained Do you believe Scott Laughton should be getting more ice time from the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 299 | 95.5 % |
| NO | 14 | 4.5 % |
| List of polls | ||