PuckSleuth
28Not on an NHL roster · Center · Shoots R
Sam Lafferty
Age 31 · 6'2" · 205 lb · Born in Hollidaysburg, USA
Cap hit
$850K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$519K
vs. $1.369M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
29
Goals
1
11.1% shooting
Assists
1
0 primary
Points
2
0.07 per game
TOI/GP
8:36
PP 0:01 · PK 0:00
xGF%
40.4
5v5, -0.1 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.08
per game
Faceoff %
50.0
26 W · 26 L
Plus/minus
-2
Blocks 5 · Hits 35
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15 vs SJS · W 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8:44 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 2-2 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.01 |
| Apr 11 vs STL · L 5-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9:33 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.18 |
| Mar 31 vs WPG · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9:53 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.04 |
| Mar 24 @ NYI · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8:11 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.12 |
| Mar 22 vs NSH · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7:15 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.09 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 242 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
5th percentile
22nd percentile
3rd percentile
28th percentile
72nd percentile
11th percentile
28th percentile
2nd percentile
98th percentile
0th percentile
62nd percentile
1st percentile
46th percentile
85th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleDefensive depth center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Lafferty is a relentless defensive force who wins battles and limits chances against, though he contributes little offensively and struggles to move the puck or create opportunities. His value comes entirely from shutdown work on limited ice time.
- Shooting volume
- 0
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 48
- Forechecking
- 81
- Physicality
- 71
- Defensive impact
- 99
- Puck management
- 9
- Speed
- 28
Where he shoots from
Slot 71% · Mid-range 14% · Perimeter 14%(14 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite defensive impact at 99th percentile protects his team effectively
- Strong forechecking at 81st percentile disrupts opponent transitions
- Physical play at 71st percentile enforces his presence in battles
Watch-outs
- Shooting volume at 0th percentile shows almost no goal-scoring threat
- Puck management at 9th percentile limits offensive execution
- Speed at 28th percentile restricts his ability to generate rush chances
Similar style: Jesperi Kotkaniemi (CAR), Nick Cousins (OTT)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 29 GP
Season total +2.5, or +0.08 per game.
- Scoring
- +1.5
- Shooting
- +0.7
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.3
- Defense
- +0.5
- Physical play
- +0.9
- Puck battles
- -0.7
- Penalties
- -0.2
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | USHS-PA | Hollidaysburg Area High | 19 | 19 | 26 | 45 | — | 14 |
| 2010-11 | USHS-PA | Hollidaysburg Area High | 18 | 34 | 35 | 69 | 0 | 26 |
| 2011-12 | High-MA | Deerfield | 25 | 8 | 8 | 16 | — | — |
| 2012-13 | High-MA | Deerfield | 24 | 9 | 15 | 24 | — | — |
| 2013-14 | Minor-MA | Bos. Jr. Bruins | 11 | 2 | 9 | 11 | — | 2 |
| 2013-14 | High-MA | Deerfield | 25 | 21 | 34 | 55 | — | — |
| 2014-15 | ECAC | Brown U. | 31 | 4 | 8 | 12 | — | 16 |
| 2015-16 | NCAA | Brown Univ. | 31 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -7 | 4 |
| 2016-17 | NCAA | Brown Univ. | 31 | 13 | 22 | 35 | -2 | 32 |
| 2017-18 | NCAA | Brown Univ. | 31 | 8 | 14 | 22 | -10 | 34 |
| 2017-18 | AHL | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | AHL | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 70 | 13 | 36 | 49 | +1 | 94 |
| 2019-20 | NHL | Pittsburgh Penguins | 50 | 6 | 7 | 13 | +5 | 23 |
| 2019-20 | AHL | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | +1 | 10 |
| 2019-20 (playoffs) | NHL | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | NHL | Pittsburgh Penguins | 34 | 0 | 6 | 6 | -6 | 25 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Pittsburgh Penguins | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Chicago Blackhawks | 46 | 5 | 6 | 11 | -16 | 21 |
| 2021-22 | WC | USA | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | +1 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | Chicago Blackhawks | 51 | 10 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 28 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | Toronto Maple Leafs | 19 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -1 | 9 |
| 2022-23 (playoffs) | NHL | Toronto Maple Leafs | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | Vancouver Canucks | 79 | 13 | 11 | 24 | +4 | 32 |
| 2023-24 (playoffs) | NHL | Vancouver Canucks | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | Buffalo Sabres | 60 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -15 | 28 |
| 2025-26 | NHL | Chicago Blackhawks | 29 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 14 |
Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Panthers Recall Sam Lafferty, Alex Petrovic
NHL Rumors - ProHockeyRumors.com · Oct 3
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average -0.03 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.8 mph
- 30th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 26
- Hardest shot
- 71.6 mph
- 6th pct
- Distance
- 41.9 mi
- OZ time
- 40.8%
- 32nd pct
- DZ time
- 40.1%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 31, forwards typically produce 80% of their peak (age 24).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | FLA | $850K | 0.8% |
UFA after 2026-27. $850K in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).