Sam Lafferty

Last updated

Sam Lafferty
Sam Lafferty 2019-12-14 (1).jpg
Lafferty with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019
Born (1995-03-06) March 6, 1995 (age 29)
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams
Vancouver Canucks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Chicago Blackhawks
Toronto Maple Leafs
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL draft 113th overall, 2014
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2018present

Sam Lafferty (born March 6, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents

Born and raised in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Lafferty attended Hollidaysburg Area High School before a spot opened at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. During his time at Deerfield, Lafferty tallied 38 goals and 57 assists for a total of 95 points in 74 games. Following his graduation in 2014, Lafferty was drafted by the Penguins in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and began his collegiate hockey career with the Brown Bears men's ice hockey team. Throughout his four seasons at Brown, Lafferty was selected for the All-ECAC Third Team and named to the Second and Third Team All-Ivy League. Lafferty concluded his collegiate career on March 7, 2018, and joined the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.

Early life

Lafferty was born on March 6, 1995, in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania [1] to parents Jill and Andy. His parents later divorced and his mother re-married to Dave Weaver, who coached Lafferty growing up. [2] He was inspired to begin playing hockey following the 2000–01 NHL season where Mario Lemieux returned to the Pittsburgh Penguins. [3] After attending a skating clinic ran by Dave, Lafferty and his younger brother Charlie played for the Mid-State Mustangs and the Altoona Trackers of the Pittsburgh Area Hockey League. [4]

Playing career

Amateur

Lafferty spent his freshman and most of his sophomore year at Hollidaysburg Area High School before applying to prep schools. He originally committed to attend Shady Side Academy before a spot opened at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. [4] During the 2013–14 season, Lafferty tallied a career-best 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points in 25 games and was named to the 2014 Prep School All-New England team. Over his three seasons with the Deerfield Academy, Lafferty tallied 38 goals and 57 assists for a total of 95 points in 74 games. [5] Following his graduation in 2014, Lafferty was drafted by the Penguins in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. [6]

Collegiate

In spite of being drafted, Lafferty played four seasons of college hockey with the Brown Bears men's ice hockey team [7] from 2014 to 2018. During his freshman season, Lafferty played in all 31 games and finished fourth on the team with eight assists and fifth with four goals. [8] While playing hockey as a freshman, Lafferty also competed in Division I golf [9] and qualified for the 2015 Ivy League Men's Golf Championship. [10] The following year, Lafferty decreased offensively and finished the season with four goals and six assists for 10 points. [8]

Lafferty returned to the Brown Bears for his junior season and experienced a breakout year. By January 2017, his eight goals and 19 assists ranked fourth in ECAC in scoring and third in points per game. [11] He finished the season leading the Bears in scoring with 35 points in all 31 games played and ranked first on the team in assists. [8] Lafferty also posted nine multiple-point games which included two four-point performances. At the conclusion of the season, Lafferty was selected for the All-ECAC Third Team and named to the Third Team All-Ivy League. [12] He was also named Team MVP and selected as a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born college hockey player in New England. [13]

Lafferty's scoring prowess continued through his senior season as he recorded eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points. [8] As a second-time assistant captain, [14] he began the season being named one of 20 candidates for the 2017–18 Senior CLASS Award. [15] Following this, Lafferty was named the ECAC Player of the Week in February after he recorded four points in two games to help Brown to sweep Harvard and Dartmouth. [16] In the same month, Lafferty also scored his first collegiate hat-trick on February 23, 2018, against Harvard. [17] He finished the 2017–18 season being selected for the Second Team All-Ivy [18] and ECAC All-Academic Team. [19]

Professional

On March 7, 2018, Lafferty concluded his collegiate career by signing an amateur tryout agreement with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the remainder of the 2017–18 season. [20] He also signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) that began in the 2018–19 season. [21] Upon joining Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Lafferty recorded his first professional goal on April 3, 2018, against the Hershey Bears. [22]

After attending Pittsburgh's 2018 training camp, he was re-assigned to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. [23] In his first professional season, Lafferty scored 49 points in 70 games to become the teams' second-leading scorer. [4] Lafferty made his NHL debut on October 8, 2019, in Pittsburgh's game against the Winnipeg Jets. [3] Lafferty scored his first NHL goal and assist a few days later on October 12, 2019, in a 7–4 win over the Minnesota Wild. [24]

On January 5, 2022, Lafferty was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Alexander Nylander. [25]

During the following 2022–23 NHL season, while in the midst of breakout season in establishing new offensive highs, Lafferty was traded by the rebuilding Blackhawks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, along with Jake McCabe, and two future draft selections in exchange for Toronto's 2025 first-round pick (conditional), Toronto's second-round pick in 2026, Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev on February 27, 2023. [26] He finished the season with 12 goals and 27 points in 70 games between the Blackhawks and the Maple Leafs. In the playoffs, Lafferty added a goal in nine games. [27]

At the end of training camp, Lafferty was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Vancouver Canucks for a fifth-round selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on October 8, 2023. [27] [28]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2009–10 Hollidaysburg Area High USHS 1919264514
2010–11Hollidaysburg Area HighUSHS1834356926
2011–12 Deerfield Academy USHS2588164
2012–13Deerfield AcademyUSHS24915246
2013–14Deerfield AcademyUSHS2521345514
2014–15 Brown University ECAC 31481216
2015–16 Brown UniversityECAC3146104
2016–17 Brown UniversityECAC3113223532
2017–18 Brown UniversityECAC318142234
2017–18 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 91234
2018–19 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL7013364994
2019–20 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL630310
2019–20 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 5067132310000
2020–21 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL3406625
2021–22 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL1002212
2021–22 Chicago Blackhawks NHL46561121
2022–23 Chicago BlackhawksNHL5110112128
2022–23 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL19246991232
2023–24 Vancouver Canucks NHL7913112432110002
NHL totals289364783154211234

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2022 United States WC 4th101236
Senior totals101236

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
ECAC Third Team 2017
All-Ivy League Third Team 2017
All-Ivy League Second Team 2018

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Sullivan (ice hockey)</span> American ice hockey player and coach

Michael Barry Sullivan is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fourth round, 69th overall, by the New York Rangers in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Sullivan has also played for the San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Phoenix Coyotes. Internationally, he represented the United States twice, including at the 1997 World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Johnson (ice hockey)</span> American ice hockey player (born 1987)

John Joseph LouisJohnson III is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks. In his prime, he was a capable two-way defenseman, combining physical prowess and offensive capability. Johnson won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Lannon</span> American ice hockey player

Ryan Lannon is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who last played for Vaasan Sport in the Liiga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Letestu</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1985)

Mark Letestu is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played in eleven seasons of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beau Bennett</span> American ice hockey player (born 1991)

Beau Daniel Bennett is an American former professional ice hockey right winger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarred Tinordi</span> American ice hockey player (born 1992)

Jarred Michael Tinordi is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens 22nd overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He was also drafted in the seventh round by Metallurg Magnitogorsk during the 2010 KHL Junior Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Hayes (ice hockey)</span> American ice hockey player (1989–2021)

James Ryan Hayes was an American professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed "Broadway", he was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round, 60th overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and the New Jersey Devils. His younger brother Kevin Hayes is also a professional ice hockey player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oskar Sundqvist</span> Swedish ice hockey player (born 1994)

Oskar Sundqvist is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Haggerty</span> American professional ice hockey forward (born 1993)

Ryan Haggerty is an American professional ice hockey forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played under contract with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Rust</span> American ice hockey player (born 1992)

Bryan Peter Rust is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017 and is the fourth longest tenured member of the organization aside from Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Farnham</span> American ice hockey player (born 1989)

Robert T. Farnham is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who last played for Belfast Giants in British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). He previously played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinnie Hinostroza</span> American ice hockey player (born 1994)

Vincent Enrique Hinostroza is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hinostroza was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He has previously played for the Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes, Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Nylander</span> Swedish ice hockey player (born 1998)

Alexander Maximilian Michael Junior Nylander Altelius is a Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 8th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Lorito</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1990)

Matt Lorito is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Sikura</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Tyler Sikura is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for HC Bolzano of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Fox</span> American ice hockey player

Adam Fox is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Fox was selected by the Calgary Flames, 66th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. In 2021, Fox won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman, joining Bobby Orr as the only two players in NHL history to win the award before their third NHL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devon Toews</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1994)

Devon Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Tazer", Toews was drafted 108th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Toews won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

Anthony Angello is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Jack Rathbone is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Rathbone was drafted 95th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, with whom he began his NHL career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drew O'Connor</span> American ice hockey player (born 1998)

Drew James O'Connor is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

References

  1. "Sam Lafferty". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  2. "Lafferty's shining moment". Altoona Mirror. July 12, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Crechiolo, Michelle (October 9, 2019). "Lafferty's childhood dream comes true". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Rorabaugh, Seth (October 19, 2019). "From Hollidaysburg to Pittsburgh, Penguins rookie Sam Lafferty writing 'awesome story'". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  5. "Getting to Know: Sam Lafferty". National Hockey League. August 1, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  6. Crechiolo, Michelle (June 28, 2014). "Meet Pittsburgh's 2014 NHL Draft Class". National Hockey League. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  7. "Men's Hockey Adds Lafferty to Incoming Recruiting Class". Brown University. July 31, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Sam Lafferty". Brown University. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  9. Crechiolo, Michelle (August 16, 2021). "Two-Sport Athlete". National Hockey League. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  10. "Men's Golf Seventh At Ivy Championship After Day One". Brown University. April 24, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  11. Seguin, Joshua (January 31, 2017). "Lafferty Emerges As Bright Spot for Brown". College Hockey News. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  12. "Men's Hockey's Lafferty Named Third Team All-ECAC". Brown University. March 17, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  13. "Men's Hockey Announces 2016-17 Team Awards, Lafferty Named MVP". Brown University. May 1, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  14. "McArdle Named Men's Hockey Captain for 2017-18". Brown University. April 6, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  15. "Lafferty Named Men's Hockey Candidate for Senior CLASS Award". Brown University. November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  16. "Men's Hockey's Lafferty, Kania Collect ECAC Weekly Awards". Brown University. February 28, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  17. "Lafferty Nets Hat Trick, Men's Hockey Tops Harvard, 6-4". Brown University. February 23, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  18. "Men's Hockey's Gottlieb, Lafferty Earn All-Ivy Honors". Brown University. March 1, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  19. "Men's Hockey Places All 27 Student-Athletes on ECAC All-Academic Team". Brown University. July 10, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  20. Hart, Nick (March 7, 2018). "Penguins Sign Sam Lafferty to ATO". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  21. "Penguins Sign Forward Sam Lafferty to a Two-Year Entry-Level Contract". Pittsburgh Penguins. March 7, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2021 via NHL.com.
  22. Hart, Nick (April 3, 2018). "Lafferty Nets First Pro Goal in Penguins' 5-3 Defeat of Bears". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  23. "Penguins Announce Roster Moves". National Hockey League. September 23, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  24. Kasan, Sam (October 13, 2019). ""AHL guys" lead Pens to victory". National Hockey League. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  25. "Release: Blackhawks Acquire Sam Lafferty from Penguins". Chicago Blackhawks. January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 via NHL.com.
  26. "Maple Leafs acquire McCabe, Lafferty from Blackhawks". TSN . February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Maple Leafs trade Sam Lafferty to Canucks for 2024 fifth-round draft pick". Sportsnet. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  28. "Canucks Acquire Sam Lafferty from Toronto". NHL.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.