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Scott Laughton, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton: Veteran Presence Done Right

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Dec 6, 2025 9:45 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs have always understood the importance of the dressing room. You can have speed, skill, and future stars, but if the locker room isn’t balanced — if there isn’t someone who keeps the mood grounded, sets the tone, and knows how to carry a room through the highs and lows — teams stumble.

Toronto’s front office has tried to add that veteran presence in a few different ways over the past seasons, and the results have been uneven.

Ryan Reaves Was Brad Treliving’s First Choice

Take Ryan Reaves, for example. When Brad Treliving brought him in, the hope was clear: a seasoned pro, someone with grit and an edge, who could influence the room even if his on-ice impact was limited. Reaves wasn’t exactly a star player, but he would stick up for his teammates, and his reputation was that he was “good in the room.”

Reaves did have his moments, but he wasn’t going to carry a game or shift momentum week in and week out. His presence was meant to be felt in the locker room, in how he approached practice, challenged younger players, and embodied professionalism. And yet, while Reaves had a certain aura, it never fully translated into wins or chemistry on the ice. It was a good idea in theory, but in practice, he was too often on the periphery of play.

Scott Laughton Is Now Serving a Similar Role, With More Success

Enter Scott Laughton. Arriving at last season’s trade deadline, he’s less than half a season into his tenure with the Maple Leafs. Still, he’s already become the kind of teammate Reaves was supposed to be — and then some.

When Laughton scored his first goal of the season in Thursday’s 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, you could tell from the radio broadcast that this wasn’t just a goal — it was a celebration for a guy the team genuinely likes. Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph noted it repeatedly: everyone loves him. He’s the kind of player who brings energy, accountability, and humour to a room without overshadowing the young stars or the veterans already there.

What Makes Laughton Different Is His On-Ice Contributions

What makes Laughton different from Reaves is that he’s not just a locker-room presence; he’s actively contributing on the ice. He kills penalties, chips in on secondary scoring, and has the sort of hockey sense that allows him to appear in the right place at the right time.

When the puck bounced oddly off the boards against Carolina, and he found himself in a perfect position to score, it wasn’t pure luck. It was instinct, awareness, and the kind of veteran understanding of the game that adds value in ways that aren’t always obvious on the stat sheet. Reaves didn’t have that same level of consistent on-ice impact, which limited how much his presence could carry the team.

Laughton’s role is specific, but it’s also flexible. He’s not an elite star, and he doesn’t need to be. He fills the gaps, does the hard work, and keeps the room’s morale high. And in a dressing room that has to balance young talents like Easton Cowan or Matthew Knies with the expectations of stars like Auston Matthews, someone like Laughton is worth his weight in gold. He’s quietly shaping the team culture while doing the things that help wins happen.

The Bottom Line for Laughton and the Maple Leafs

In the end, the lesson might be that adding a veteran presence isn’t just about personality; it’s also about contribution. Reaves was a good idea that didn’t entirely stick. Laughton, however, is showing that you can be a consummate teammate, a strong presence in the room, and an effective player all at once.

The Maple Leafs may not need a revolutionary in the locker room. But they do need someone like Laughton, who quietly makes everything around him better, one shift at a time.