Flyers restricted free agent Scott Laughton files for salary arbitration

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Scott Laughton, one of the Flyers' three remaining restricted free agents, filed for salary arbitration Friday night, according to a release by the NHLPA.

Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov, the Flyers' other two RFAs, are not arbitration eligible.

The deadline for player-elected arbitration was 5 p.m. Eastern Time Friday. The deadline for club-elected arbitration is 5 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday.

By electing for arbitration, Laughton and the Flyers can go to a hearing with an independent arbitrator to settle on a salary. General manager Chuck Fletcher and the representation for Laughton can continue to negotiate and possibly strike a deal before a hearing is had. Arbitration hearings are held from July 20 to Aug. 4 in Toronto.

The 25-year-old Laughton enjoyed a career season during 2018-19, putting up personal bests in goals (12), assists (20), games (82) and ice time per game (14:51). The 2012 first-round pick was one of the Flyers' most consistent, hard-working players in a season marred by inconsistency. Among the team's forwards, Laughton was second in shorthanded ice time (183:52), behind only Sean Couturier (184:51). For much of the season, Laughton looked like the Flyers' best penalty-killer in the way he challenged opposing puck carriers, forcing them to make decisions.

In 2019-20, he is pegged to be the Flyers' fourth-line center and should be relied upon heavily again for the PK. Laughton's previous contract was a two-year, $1.925 million deal with an average annual value of $962,500.

"With Scotty Laughton, certainly he has the ability to file for arbitration and if that happens, that will speed up that process — whether it gets done right away or it gets done in the end of July," Fletcher said last week. "The other two that are [non-arbitration], it may take some time. Just looking around the league, it sure seems to be a common theme."

Last summer, Taylor Leier and Alex Lyon filed for salary arbitration. Both were re-signed before July 20 by former GM Ron Hextall. During the summer of 2016, Brayden Schenn and the Flyers came awfully close to meeting with an independent arbitrator but the two parties avoided doing so by agreeing to a four-year deal the morning of the hearing.

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