Sam Lafferty’s second stint with the Chicago Blackhawks never turned into a big box-score story, but it did fit a very specific role the organization clearly valued. Reacquired from the Buffalo Sabres on July 1, 2025 for a 2026 sixth-round pick, he returned to Chicago for what was, technically, his third time in the system before moving on this summer to the Florida Panthers on a one-year deal.
The on-ice numbers were modest. Lafferty appeared in 29 games in 2025-26 and finished with one goal and one assist while averaging under nine minutes of ice time.
There just wasn’t much room for him in the lineup, and at times he was essentially waiting for an opening. Still, when he did get in, he filled the job the Blackhawks wanted from him.
That included one especially unusual night against the St. Louis Blues, when Lafferty played defense for a game.
It was the kind of all-hands, team-first moment that summed up his season. For a player who has bounced around the league, he gave Chicago exactly what it expected in terms of professionalism and flexibility.
The grades reflected that split between limited production and broader value. Blackhawks Cowboy gave Lafferty a C-, noting that his impact won’t show up on the box score. The assessment also pointed to his role as a mentor for young players, especially Connor Bedard, and described him as an important veteran presence in a very young locker room after the trade deadline.
Tony Marchese handed out a C, calling him the original TWTW and grit guy and saying he was basically a healthy scratch all season, though he still served his purpose when called upon. Marchese also singled out the memory of Lafferty starting on defense for Chicago.
Ron Luce also gave him a C, echoing the same theme: not much offense, but real value as a pro’s pro for the younger players. Luce noted that Lafferty played a game on defense and that two points in 29 games was not especially impressive, but said his veteran presence mattered for a young Blackhawks group.
Now Lafferty heads to Florida, where the Panthers may have more need for inexpensive forwards to fill out the fourth line. Whatever happens next, his time in Chicago was defined less by production and more by being the kind of player a team trusts to do a little of everything.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Already Facing A Brutal Reality About This Season
The early read on Chicagos season is not exactly flattering. The Hockey News slotted the Blackhawks 30th in its NHL rankings on paper, a reminder that even after years of rebuilding, this roster is still being viewed through a long-term lens rather than as one ready to make a leap. There is room for growth, but the outside expectation remains that the Blackhawks are still climbing out of the leagues lower tier.
The challenge is even sharper in the Central Division, where the competition is crowded and unforgiving. Chicago will need its young core to take real steps forward while the rest of the division keeps pressing ahead, and that leaves little margin for a slow start or uneven play. Improvement is possible, but for now the Blackhawks look like a team still trying to prove it belongs in the conversation with the divisions better clubs. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Face A Painful Reality In Their Search For A Center
The Blackhawks search for a center keeps running into the same problem: the market is thin, and the cost of getting the right one looks steep. That has only sharpened the frustration around a rebuild that has already asked patience from its fan base, with the sense that another rough season could start forcing harder questions about the direction of the roster.
Around the league, the center trade chatter is only adding to the pressure. Vancouver has explored the market for Seattles Shane Wright while also trying to sort out possible moves involving Elias Pettersson, and Djurgrden has released 18-year-old Viggo Bjrck from his SHL contract so he can pursue opportunities with the Winnipeg Jets organization. For Chicago, it is another reminder that finding help down the middle may require either a big swing or a longer wait. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Fans Wont Love What Edmonton Just Decided After That Trade
When the Blackhawks moved Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy and Colton Dach to Edmonton at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, it looked like the kind of deal that could reshape both rosters down the line. For Chicago, it was a chance to turn veteran pieces and a young forward into a new direction. For the Oilers, it was about adding players who could help right away and maybe stick around longer than a rental.
Now Edmonton has made its intentions clear by extending all three after the season, a sign those deadline additions were never just temporary fixes. It is the kind of follow-up Blackhawks fans probably expected to see from a contender, and it only adds another layer to how the trade will be judged in Chicago as the Oilers keep building around the group they acquired. [Read more 🡒]