{"id":579015,"date":"2026-05-19T22:51:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T22:51:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/579015\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T22:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T22:51:18","slug":"chicago-blackhawks-2025-26-player-grades-sam-lafferty-the-hockey-writers-chicago-blackhawks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/579015\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Blackhawks 2025-26 Player Grades: Sam Lafferty – The Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0Chicago Blackhawks\u00a0<\/a>finished their 2025-26 campaign 31st\u00a0in the league, with a record of 29-39-14 and 72 points. It was an improvement from last season\u2019s totals of 25-46-11 (61 points), but the organization had more progress in mind when they embarked on this campaign. The good news is the Blackhawks finished with more wins and more points than the previous season. They also feel they\u2019ve taken positive strides in the growth and development of a plethora of young players, who could be a big part of a more successful future.<\/p>\n

In this summer series, we\u2019ll hand out individual grades to every player on the team. Today, we highlight veteran Sam Lafferty<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Lafferty\u2019s Season Stats<\/p>\n

1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points, minus-2 in 29 games. Average time on ice (ATOI) of\u00a08:36 minutes. FO% (Faceoff percentage) of 50% <\/p>\n

47.4 Corsi For Percentage (CF%), 5 blocked shots,\u00a035 hits, 2 takeaways,\u00a015 giveaways,\u00a014 penalty minutes<\/p>\n

Contract Status:\u00a0UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent) this summer <\/p>\n

Season Overview<\/p>\n

In technically his third stint back in Chicago (if you count the time the Blackhawks traded for his signing rights before he signed with the Buffalo Sabres in 2024<\/a>), Lafferty was expected to be a reliable veteran presence for an up-and-coming roster. The 31-year-old was familiar with the Blackhawks, and they were familiar with him. He had one of his best seasons in a Blackhawks sweater back in 2022-23, posting a then-career-high 21 points in 51 games, before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.<\/a><\/p>\n

Therefore, when the Blackhawks acquired him again last summer from the Sabres, he was thought to bring depth. It wasn\u2019t expected that he would have a huge role, but I don\u2019t think many expected it to be what it was, as he was a healthy scratch most nights in favor of the younger players. There was a point in January when he played only two games, and he played more games in March (8 of 16), especially when players like Oliver Moore got injured. <\/p>\n

\"SamChicago Blackhawks center Sam Lafferty (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

But Lafferty had an admirable mindset. He kept putting in the work. He showed up at the optional skates. At practices, he would sometimes play defense to help balance the pairs, and he even played defense against the St. Louis Blues on April 11, when Ethan Del Mastro was a late scratch due to injury. <\/p>\n

He was commended all season for doing whatever it took to help the team, and it showed. He was beloved in the locker room, and on the ice, he mainly played a bottom-six role. He could slot in as a fourth-line center, where his FO% was the best among centers who played 20-plus games, or play wing. His one goal against the New Jersey Devils was one to remember. <\/a><\/p>\n

Quotable Quote<\/p>\n

Lafferty was a fun player to ask about because, whether it was head coach Jeff Blashill or his teammates, everyone was eager to talk about him.<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard<\/a> shared with me, \u201cHe\u2019s one of the best people I\u2019ve ever met.\u201d Meanwhile, Landon Slaggert said, \u201cYour day is better when Sam Lafferty\u2019s a part of it.\u201d <\/p>\n

The quote I want to highlight came from a March conversation I had with Lafferty about his role. At the time, he had only played in 19 of 61 games. <\/p>\n

\u201cWell, first of all, it\u2019s great to be a Blackhawk. I\u2019m loving my time here. Like you said, every experience you go through in this league is a little bit different. This year, obviously, we have the youngest team in the league, and we\u2019re trying to figure out how to take that next step to be a really good team. And my role is pretty fluid this year. Obviously, haven\u2019t played as much as I would like to, but at the same time, you know, sometimes that\u2019s the way it goes. And just try to find the things you can do to help the team, and be a good teammate. Whether it\u2019s playing around the lineup, you know, different spots, or practicing in different spots, kind of whatever is asked for you. You just want to do it to the best of your ability. That\u2019s ultimately what you can control at the end of the day. <\/p>\n

And yeah, so it\u2019s definitely been a different experience for me this year. But at the same time, it\u2019s been really fun and really rewarding. And I love this group of guys, and I absolutely love being a Blackhawk. It\u2019s an absolute privilege just to be in the NHL, let alone to play for this organization. Every day is a new day, and whether it\u2019s a practice day, game day, you just want to enjoy it and make the most of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lafferty\u2019s Final Grade: C+<\/p>\n

If I were grading just based on professionalism and influence, he would get an A-plus. How he carried himself was a great example of how to be an NHL pro. <\/p>\n

On the ice, he was fine with the time he got. <\/p>\n

Overall, Lafferty might not have had the biggest role on the ice, but he might have had one of the most significant presences on the team. He likely won\u2019t be back with the Blackhawks next season, but he will have left a positive mark on his teammates. <\/p>\n

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