Video Captures Leafs Captain Auston Matthews' Meaningful Gesture towards Scott Laughton

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off of a dominant 7-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, highlighted by the play of a potential new-look fourth line featuring Laughton, Steven Lorentz, and rookie Easton Cowan.

All three players impressed, but it was Laughton who stood out most with a stellar performance, racking up 2 goals and 2 assists in the game to lead all players with a 4-point night.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews took notice, recognizing Laughton's effort by gesturing for him to lead the team's post-practice warmups on Friday -- a subtle but impactful moment that underscored Matthews' strong leadership.

Mark Masters described the scene on X:

Laughton is looking to bounce back after a disappointing first season in Toronto, where he struggled to find his footing following his trade from the Philadelphia Flyers at the trade deadline.

He managed just six points in 33 combined regular-season and playoff games, failing to make a consistent impact.

Now, with the benefit of a full offseason and training camp under his belt, the Oakville native appears rejuvenated. Laughton has looked far more comfortable within head coach Craig Berube's system, and his energy has stood out in camp.

As the regular season approaches, Laughton -- along with several other depth forwards -- will be eager to start strong and prove what he can bring to the Leafs' lineup.