Scott Laughton Earns Immediate Respect from Leafs Over Comments After Loss to Avalanche

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a disappointing 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, in which they let a 4-2 lead disappear with 5 goals straight coming from the Avalanche in Laughton and fellow deadline acquisition Brandon Carlo's debut.

The first game for the new acquisitions,
Laughton and Carlo, certainly put a damper on their debuts, but Laughton's comments following the loss showcased his tremendous character.

Laughton talked about the loss, placing the blame on himself, as per Luke Fox on X:

Laughton's leadership is clearly showcased in his interview, proving a big reason why the Maple Leafs wanted the gritty centreman. Accountability is important to him, which is certainly refreshing.

Laughton was a -2 in his debut and played 11:54 in his first game. The hometown kid had 27 points in 60 games for the Philadelphia Flyers prior to the trade.

Laughton and Carlo were ultimately consolation prizes for Brad Treliving after swung big and missed on, Mikko Rantanen. Still, they both fill clear needs and will only get better as they adjust to their new roles in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs will look to regroup after their 3-game losing streak against the Utah Hockey Club on Monday to close out their road trip.