Kyle Davidson is keeping busy this week. On Thursday, he hired AGM Jeff Greenberg out of baseball. And today, he’s completed a two-year contract extension for Sam Lafferty.
This morning, the Blackhawks announced that they’ve come to terms with Lafferty on a two-year deal that will run through the 2023-24 season with a $1,150,000 salary cap hit.
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Lafferty, 27, was Kyle Davidson’s first trade when he was still working under the interim tag and dealt Alex Nylander to the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 5 in exchange for Lafferty. Since coming to the Blackhawks, Lafferty has been a solid contributor on the third and fourth line for Derek King and the Hawks. This season, Lafferty has a career-high 13 points and has tied his career-best mark in assists with eight.
In a press release this morning, Davidson had this to say about Lafferty:
“Sam’s speed and up-tempo style is the brand of hockey we hope to see the team play over the coming years,” General Manager Kyle Davidson said. “He has showcased those skills since we acquired him. Sam adds a dynamic to our roster that allows him to fit seamlessly throughout the lineup and give our coaches a reliable forward that can be trusted in nearly every situation.”
Lafferty is the second Blackhawks player to receive an extension in the last two weeks. Davidson extended fellow bottom-six forward Reese Johnson back on April 13.