During his time with the Philadelphia Flyers, James van Riemsdyk once woke up mid-flight from a nap to find his face covered in Mike and Ike candies. The prank had only one likely source—his mischievous teammate Scott Laughton.
“Scott’s always at the center of that kind of stuff,” van Riemsdyk recalled. “He and TK (Travis Konecny) were constantly pulling pranks on each other.”
Van Riemsdyk and Laughton became teammates in 2018 when van Riemsdyk returned to the Flyers after a stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The two quickly formed a close bond, so van Riemsdyk was especially happy to see Laughton traded to Toronto in March.
“He’d have been thrilled as a kid to know he’d one day play for the Leafs, especially on a team that’s in the mix every year,” van Riemsdyk said. “I’m really happy for him—it’s worked out well. He’s familiar with Chief (Leafs head coach Craig Berube), and this feels like a great fit.”
On the ice, Laughton brings versatility and cohesion.
“He’s the kind of guy who pulls a locker room together. He can play almost any forward position, which makes him incredibly valuable.”
Now settling in with the Leafs, Laughton is getting more comfortable both professionally and personally.
“I like to joke around with the guys,” Laughton said. “I’m starting to feel more at home and really finding my place here.”
