*Photo from Editor in Leaf*
Just before the season, we have a trade. The Vancouver Canucks have acquired forward Sam Lafferty from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2024 5th round draft pick, according to both teams on Sunday.
Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin said "As we work towards becoming a tougher team to play against, Sam will add some grit and sandpaper to our lineup. We also like the way he skates and can back players off with his speed. He is a good addition to our forward group and has shown he can also use his speed effectively in a penalty-killing role."
This season will be the second and final year of Lafferty's current contract, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. The deal pays him $1.15 million in 2023-2024, and the Canucks will be the 3rd team he'll play for during the contract. He's scheduled to hit free agency at the end of the season.
Last season, Lafferty played with the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks following a trade deadline move. He combined to post 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points, posting a -11 rating while averaging 14:37 of ice time in 70 regular season games. He added one goal and two assists in 9 playoff games.
Across 4 seasons in the NHL, Lafferty has suited up for the Blackhawks, Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has amassed 23 goals and 36 assists for 59 points, averaging 12:22 of ice time with a -28 rating in a bottom six role in 210 regular season games. He also has one goal and two assists in 10 playoff games.
During training camp, Lafferty was a player on the roster bubble for the Maple Leafs. By making the trade, they give a bottom six penalty killing forward a spot on an NHL roster in Vancouver while also shedding $1.15 million in cap space with the opening day rosters needing to be finalized leaguewide.
Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet said of Lafferty that "I talked to a couple of his former coaches, gave him some good reviews. Kind of a heavier, kind of grittier guy, really good skater, can score some goals. It's a chance to acquire a little bit of a stickier guy. That's why I think we did it. He's a penalty killer, too. I think him and Teddy PK'd together in Pittsburgh. When a guy's kind of a bigger guy and grittier and can skate, you got to take a look at guys like that. What did he have, 13-14 goals last year? He can score some goals, which helps us, too."
On Wednesday, October 11, both the Maple Leafs and Canucks open their regular season schedules. The Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens, while the Canucks have a home game on tap with the Edmonton Oilers.
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