Blackhawks Acquire Sam Lafferty; Nylander Joins Penguins

The Chicago Blackhawks today announced that they have acquired forward Sam Lafferty (LA -fuhr -tee) from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Alex Nylander. Lafferty has a $750,000 salary cap hit and is signed through the 2021-22 season. He is scheduled to meet the Blackhawks in Arizona and will be assigned to the active roster. Lafferty will wear #24.

Lafferty, 26, has recorded two assists in 10 games with Pittsburgh this season. During the 2020-21 campaign with the Penguins, Lafferty notched six helpers. A native of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Lafferty registered National Hockey League career highs in games played (50), goals (6), assists (7) and points (13) during the 2019-20 season. He also appeared in one Stanley Cup Playoff game during the 2020 postseason.

Across three NHL seasons (2019-22), Lafferty has appeared in 94 regular-season games and scored 21 points (6G, 15A). He posted American Hockey League career bests in goals (13), assists (36), points (49) and games played (70) during the 2018-19 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Lafferty has played in 85 career AHL games and has 55 points (17G, 38A).

Drafted by the Penguins in the fourth round (113^th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Lafferty played four seasons (2014-18) at Brown University and served as the alternate captain for the team during his junior and senior seasons. He was an All-Ivy League Second Team selection in both of those seasons as well. Lafferty was also named to the ECAC Third All-Star Team during the 2016-17 campaign.

Nylander had 10 goals and 16 assists in 65 regular-season games with the Blackhawks during the 2019-20 season. He also appeared in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games that year. He has 12 points (8G, 4A) in 23 games with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL) this season.

The IceHogs are back in action at BMO Harris Bank Center on Friday, Jan. 7 against the Chicago Wolves at 7 p.m. on a $2 Bud Light Friday! Enjoy $2 Bud Light cans through the second intermission! Buy Tickets

Tune in from your favorite device, at home or on the road at IceHogs.com and on the IceHogs app! Fans can also watch every IceHogs home game and select road games this season on 23.3 Circle TV and every game on AHLTV and listen in on all of Mid-West Family’s local stations including 104.9 The X, B103, 95.3 The Bull, and Rockford Greatest Hits 100.5 and featured on Rock River Current.