if he is.... he's gone.
This makes me very happy... now hopefully he isn't the odd man out at the expansion draft!
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if he is.... he's gone.
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Yeah, Laughton's been excellent this year.
And given Nolan Patrick isn't playing well at center - it might fit better to try to keep Laughton at C3 and use Patrick on a wing.
I think Philly (should) value Laughton > Oskar Lindblom.
I think their current protect list is:
1. NMC Giroux
2. NMC Hayes
3. Couturier
4. Konecny
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5. Patrick
6. Laughton
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#7 is between Voracek ($8.25m), JVR ($7m), and Lindblom ($3m).
I don't think they are in major trouble for losing any of those three.
Voracek/JVR are pretty expensive... and Lindblom's production just isn't there.
Teams are so dumb sometimes. No long term thinking. Laughton wanted to stay and Philly wanted to keep him. But he is a UFA at the end of the year, Philly isn't going to the playoffs, and they have some expansion draft problems. Laughton should want a playoff run and make the team he wants to be with better in the long term. Teams should want to maximize long term asset value. Trade Laughton at the deadline now, get valuable assets, and re-sign him in the summer. The same goes for Iafallo.
Provorov/Sanheim/Myers are D locks.
Hagg is not in the picture for a protect spot.
I like the deal, but hate the timing. This is a signing you simply don't need to make.
If you really want to keep Laughton, you protect him, even as a UFA. Then sign him post-expansion, or extend him later on before expansion.
However, considering what I think of Chuck Fletcher, it's pleasantly reasonable.
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