Blackhawks open free-agency day by trading for Sam Lafferty, again

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson can’t quit his Sam Lafferty addiction.

Minutes before the opening of free agency Tuesday — albeit a far less exciting, talent-laden free agency than usual — the Hawks acquired Lafferty from the Sabres for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

Incredibly, it’s the third time Davidson has acquired Lafferty — and the fourth time he has executed a trade involving him.

Davidson originally acquired Lafferty from the Penguins (for Alex Nylander) in January 2022, and Lafferty enjoyed the best stretch of his NHL career to date. He recorded 32 points in 97 games, and then-coach Luke Richardson used him very effectively on the penalty kill and on a checking line.

The Hawks dealt Lafferty to the Maple Leafs as part of the Jake McCabe trade in February 2023, receiving essentially a second-round pick for Lafferty — an impressive return on investment. But Lafferty wasn’t able to maintain his momentum in Toronto.

The Hawks then acquired Lafferty’s free-agent rights from the Canucks as part of the Ilya Mikheyev trade in June 2024, but they weren’t able to settle on contract terms with Lafferty.

A few days later, he signed a two-year deal carrying a $2 million salary-cap hit with the Sabres, where he managed only seven points in 60 games during the 2024-25 season (while averaging less than 10 minutes of ice time per game).

He now arrives back in Chicago with one year remaining on that deal. He’ll provide offensive depth for new coach Jeff Blashill and certainly fit the Hawks’ desired identity as a fast, aggressive forechecking team.

The Hawks’ top priority — by far — next season is the youth movement and letting their prospects take over the roster. So they’ll need to delicately ensure those prospects’ paths to playing time aren’t blocked, while also maintaining enough depth to cover for injuries and have insurance plans for prospects who don’t prove ready yet.

Lafferty helps with the latter for now, but he could be easily scratched or even waived if he doesn’t play well and/or a prospect needs his spot.