Over the past five games, the Toronto Maple Leafs' penalty kill has quietly flipped the script - and it’s no accident. After a rocky start to the season where the PK was hovering below 80%, Toronto has allowed just one goal on 14 shorthanded situations, lifting their kill rate to 81.1% and slotting them into the middle of the NHL pack. That might not sound like headline-grabbing stuff, but for a team that looked lost while down a man earlier this season, it’s a significant turnaround.
What’s changed? It starts with one name: Scott Laughton.
The Laughton Lift
Since returning to the lineup, Laughton has brought a sense of structure and urgency to a unit that had been lacking both. He’s not just winning key faceoffs - though he’s doing plenty of that - he’s also doing the little things that don’t show up in the box score: cutting off passing lanes, staying in motion, and forcing opponents into uncomfortable decisions. His presence has stabilized a chaotic rotation and given the Leafs something they’ve sorely needed on the PK: identity.
Laughton’s shorthanded track record is well-established. He’s long been a possession-positive forward in those situations, and coaches have trusted him to handle tough defensive assignments his entire career. Now, he’s doing it in Toronto colors, and the impact is immediate.
Management sees him as this year’s version of David Kämpf, but with a bit more bite. He brings the same defensive reliability, but with added edge and versatility. That’s allowed the Leafs to ease up on using top-line players like Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies in penalty-killing roles - a smart long-term move when you’re trying to keep your stars fresh and healthy.
With Nicolas Roy also holding things down up the middle, and depth pieces like Steven Lorentz and Dakota Joshua working the wings, the Leafs now have a more complete and balanced PK unit than they did just a few weeks ago.
A Shift in Philosophy: From Passive to Pressure
But this isn’t just about personnel - it’s also about approach. Under head coach Craig Berube, the Leafs have started to lean into a more aggressive, physical identity, and that’s beginning to show up on the penalty kill.
Gone is the passive, reactive style that had Toronto sitting back and hoping for mistakes. In its place?
A pressure-heavy strategy that forces the issue.
Laughton embodies that mindset. He’s relentless on the puck, constantly moving, constantly disrupting.
His motor sets the tone. And when the rest of the team follows suit, the results speak for themselves.
Take Nick Robertson’s recent shorthanded goal as a case study. He didn’t just wait for a turnover - he created one, stripping Matt Dumba and burying the chance.
That kind of opportunistic, high-pressure play is what separates a good PK from a great one. Yes, the Leafs were up big at the time, which gave Robertson some freedom to gamble, but the takeaway is clear: aggressive penalty killing creates momentum and can flip the ice in an instant.
Raising the Bar
This is the kind of play Craig Berube envisioned when he talked about bringing more grit and intensity to Toronto. The penalty kill is now starting to reflect that identity, thanks in large part to Laughton’s return and the team’s willingness to push the pace even when down a man.
There’s still room to grow - 15th in the league isn’t exactly elite territory - but the foundation is there. The Leafs are no longer just surviving shorthanded situations; they’re starting to control them. And with Laughton anchoring the unit, they’ve got a guy who can be trusted to lead that charge night after night.
Toronto’s PK doesn’t feel like a liability anymore. It feels like a weapon in the making.