NHL Trade Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs 'aggressively' targeting $15,000,000 Flyers star over Brayden Schenn

With less than two days left till the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly switching targets from St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn to Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton.

NHL insider Brandon J. Sommermann posted a Thursday update on X (formerly Twitter) about Laughton.

“#LeafsForever have been one of, if not most aggressive for Scott Laughton. Last night's 5-2 loss to Vegas showed TOR what they are missing… need more heart & soul over skill, which they have plenty of. Believe their focus is on Laughton right now over Brayden Schenn #LetsGoFlyers,” Sommermann wrote.

His post was a quote reply to a post made a day earlier, in which Sommermann indicated that there was “more back and forth between Flyers and potential suitors rather than just listening to interest.”

In Thursday’s post, the Philadelphia-based reporter pointed to the Leafs' 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday as one of the main reasons they are looking to acquire Laughton, who is in the fourth year of a five-year, $15-million contract.

Laughton is a much more affordable target than Schenn, whose $52 million contract with the Blues will last until the 2027-28 season. However, reports have emerged that the Flyers will ask for Laughton’s opinion about any trades, even though his deal doesn’t have a no-trade clause.

Laughton has scored 11 goals and provided 16 assists over 57 games this season.

On Wednesday, NHL insider Darren Dreger weighed in on the Leafs’ alleged pursuit of Laughton.

“There was a deal on the table two drafts ago, I think, in Nashville, and it was almost the same price: A first-round pick. And, Toronto opted not to do it.” Dreger said via Leafs Morning Take.

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Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube’s relationship with Brayden Schenn fuelling trade rumors

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube was in charge of the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning St. Louis Blues on an interim basis in the 2018-19 season, with Brayden Schenn on the roster. The close relationship between the two has led to mounting speculation about Schenn moving to Toronto.

On Feb. 27, Joshua Kloke, a writer for The Athletic, brought up the ties between the two and wrote about a potential trade deal.

“Then there’s the connection between Schenn and Berube,” Kloke wrote in The Athletic. “They won a Stanley Cup together and Schenn was Berube’s captain at the end of his tenure in St. Louis. There’s undoubtedly a sense of trust between the two.”

Kloke’s article was written simultaneously as Brayden Schenn crossed the 1000-game milestone in the NHL. Berube had congratulated Schenn, calling him “superhuman.”