Dave Isaac

@davegisaac

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Last Friday night Scott Laughton narrowly avoided disaster, something he’s been become accustomed to over the last year.

He collided with teammate Chris Conner, looking right over his head and not even noticing him, which isn’t hard to do considering Conner is generously listed at 5-foot-7 and Laughton more than half a foot taller.

They hit knee-to-knee and Laughton went down and missed two games before returning to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ lineup a week later against Hartford.

Flyers prospect Robert Hagg now living up to the hype

“It’s been tough, I’m not going to lie,” said Laughton, a natural center who has played wing during his time in the NHL. “It’s definitely been tough, but I think I’m playing my best hockey of my pro hockey career down here.”

Late last season the 2012 first-round pick was in the NHL and his season ended early when he was concussed in Game 3 of the Flyers’ playoff series against Washington. Then he hurt his knee in training camp and was out until November. By then the Flyers didn’t have a spot for him and sent him down to the AHL. He was recalled for two games a couple weeks later, then sent back for more grooming.

Laughton, 22, has played 109 NHL games, only eight less than Shayne Gostisbehere, yet the question remains: what is Scott Laughton to the Flyers?

“I want to stay there. That’s the hardest part as a younger guy, staying in the NHL,” said Laughton, who has only produced nine goals and 27 points in those 109 games across four seasons. “You can get up there for a couple games, but staying there (is hard).”

When he was sent back the most recent time, general manager Ron Hextall had some requests for Phantoms coach Scott Gordon.

He didn’t want Laughton to be used as an offensive powerhouse, didn’t want him on the power play, instead hoping he would play defensive and against other teams’ top lines. And no more of the experiment on the wing. Laughton, a lifelong center, is to stay in the pivot.

“When he was down here before he was considered an offensive player,” Gordon said.

“(Now) he’s one of our top penalty killers and on top of that he’s having a really good offensive season when you consider that he’s had two shifts of power play, literally not even a minute.”

Heading into Friday’s game against the Wolf Pack, Laughton had 11 goals and 22 points in 33 games.

He was asked to play more “simple.” Much like when that order came down to defenseman Robert Hagg, it almost seemed counterintuitive. Laughton playing more responsible on defense is likely not going to breed offensive numbers that get him attention.

“It’s definitely tough, but at the same time that’s what’s going to get me to the NHL and keep me there,” Laughton said. “I’ve been focusing on faceoffs and a lot of things like that. I’m trying to get better at those areas of my game. I like to think of myself as an offensive guy, too. I’ve put up a couple goals the last couple games. I’m just trying to play like that.”

The AHL doesn’t make faceoff numbers or special teams statistics readily available. Teams keep them individually and the Phantoms like what Laughton has done there.

Especially as a first-round pick, Laughton was likely putting too much pressure on himself to produce offensively. He put up 87 points in junior, but that’s not his game anymore. He came out of the draft being compared to ex-Flyers captain Mike Richards, who was a tenacious defender and penalty killer when he could still play.

Perhaps he fills that role for the Flyers someday.

For now he’s on his way to being a big part of helping the Phantoms end a seven-year absence from the AHL’s postseason. There’s still a little part of him that’s thinking if he puts in the work now, it will pay off in September at next season’s training camp.

“I hope so,” said Laughton, a pending restricted free agent after this season. “It’s tough to say where I’ll be in September and what’s going to happen. I’m just trying to work as hard as I can and go into camp there next year and try to prove that I’m an NHL player. I’ve said it — I think I am — and I tried to prove that last year.

“I’m not looking up there for a call-up. I don’t think you can do that when you’re in the minors. I think you focus on the team down here and if it happens, it happens.”

Dave Isaac; 856-486-2479;disaac@gannett.com

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