Scott Laughton Hoping to Impress and Stick with Flyers

Scott Laughton finally believed he had made it when he got his old number back.

Flyers equipment manager Derek Settlemyre asked just before the regular season if Laughton wanted to switch from “training-camp number” 49 to something else. He chose 21, the number he had in juniors and when he played five games for the Flyers in his draft year.

The Flyers didn’t post a final roster in their dressing room or have any formal announcement for those who were sweating out whether or not they made the team.

Laughton figured if he was being asked about a jersey number, he must have made it.

“I think that helped it, for sure,” he said. “There’s still lots of work, but I thought that it was nice to change my number out of my training camp number.”

Changing from 49 also helps put the last couple years behind him. Last year the Flyers’ 2012 first-round pick wore it when he played 31 games in the NHL, but went back and forth to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League.

The year before that, Laughton remained on the roster for opening night, but sat as a healthy scratch against the Toronto Maple Leafs and was returned to the Oshawa Generals the next day.

This year, there appears to be a change in Laughton. He’s more consistent and looking to stick in the NHL instead of make the familiar drive up I-476 to Allentown, Pa.