Maple Leafs under fire for terrible move as they try to avoid media circus

The Toronto Maple Leafs and general manager Brad Treliving were busy on Trade Deadline Day, acquiring defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins and getting veteran forward Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers. While the former has fit in almost perfectly in Toronto, Laughton is struggling and insiders and pundits are already writing out his trade as a loss and terrible move for the Maple Leafs:

“For me, I’me putting the trade on a milk cartoon for right now. Like if you’re going to give up a first rounder for a fourth-liner? To me, that seems like if you’re gonna bring this guy in, don’t you gonna find him more ice time than to stick him on your fourth line?,” asked Shane “OBS” O’Brien on his “Missin’ Curfew” podcast ahead of Wednesday’s night game against the Colorado Avalanche.

If head coach Craig Berube is not seeing what Laughton could bring on the top lines, maybe Treliving made a terrible move on March 7 and shouldn’t have paid this much, or even make the move at all to acquired the former Flyers’ forward.

On Wednesday, Laughton had another bad showing, getting 11 minutes and 13 seconds of ice time in a 2-1 win for Toronto. He however failed to register even just one shot on goal.

When Laughton was first demoted on the fourth line, coach Berube had tried to get ahead of the a potential media circus after spending significant assets to acquire Laughton by saying that he was wanted to see how Laughton would fit on a an identity line, a checking line with Steven Lorentz and Calle Järnkrok.

Laughton has remained in that spot since, much to fans’ disappointment and complaints for over spending for the forward.
At one point last night, Pontus Holmberg was dropped down to the fourth line with Lorentz and Laughton, while Järnkrok was the one who got up with John Tavares and William Nylander.

After the Leafs' win, Berube commented on Laughton struggles, saying: "I think he’s trying to probably play the game without making mistakes and he’s overthinking things. Be aggressive, do your thing, and that will come around, I do believe that. He wants to do well and he just has to loosen up."

Laughton’s performance has been underwhelming and he has yet to record a point with his new team in six games.

It hasn’t been a great start for Laughton in Toronto and I wonder who regrets the move more : the Maple Leafs and their management or Laughton himself?