Maple Leafs Criticize Zadorov’s Hit on Laughton
Toronto Maple Leafs centre Scott Laughton left Saturday's game after a heavy hit from Boston Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov in the second period. The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3 at Scotiabank Arena.
Coach’s Reaction
“I thought it was a head shot. I gotta take a closer look at it,” Bruins coach Craig Berube said after the game.
Laughton is expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, though Berube is uncertain about the longer-term recovery timeline.
Player Reactions
Bobby McMann confronted Zadorov after the hit. McMann commented, “I didn’t really see the whole thing, just caught it out of the corner of my eye. Didn’t really love the hit from what I saw and wanted to make sure he knew I didn’t like it.”
Maple Leafs centre John Tavares added, “I didn’t see it, to be honest, super clean. But don’t like anything high, that’s for sure. I know our bench didn’t like it. Not an easy thing by Bobby to step up for Laughton, so that was a hell of a job by him.”
Context on Laughton’s Condition
Laughton recently returned from a lower-body injury that kept him out during training camp and made his regular season debut only on Wednesday.
Nikita Zadorov’s hit on Scott Laughton was described as particularly forceful by observers.
Author’s summary: The Maple Leafs express strong concern over Zadorov’s hit, with key players and coaches highlighting its severity and impact on Laughton’s availability.