Sam Lafferty

October 2020 – After making a strong impression this season, the Penguins have signed Lafferty to a two-year one-way contract. Clare McManus

July 2020 – Lafferty was one of 17 forwards who made the Penguins postseason roster for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Toronto. Clare McManus

June 2020 – Lafferty will look to contribute to the Penguins playoff roster after fulfilling a solid bottom-six role with the team this season. He will not be replacing any of the fourth line centers as of now, but he will be the first player called if a center or wing ends up getting injured. Clare McManus

April 2020- Lafferty contributed to the Penguins injured line-up upon his call-ups from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He scored six goals and added seven assists for 13 points in 50 games playing on the fourth line. While he struggled from time-to-time offensively, he played a solid role on the defensive side. Clare McManus

February 2020 – With an unassisted game-winner in a 5-1 win over the Red Wings, the speedy Lafferty potted his second goal in two weeks. While certainly not red hot, the Pittsburgh fourth-liner is contributing offensively again after a 16-game stretch without scoring. In 43 games he has six goals and seven assists while continuing to frustrate opponents with inspired defense. Not expected to be in the NHL this season, the 24-year-old is getting invaluable big-league experience. Mark Allan

February 2020 – In the latest phase of his up-and-down season (shuttling between the AHL and NHL), Lafferty scored the tying goal just 68 seconds after Washington opened scoring. On the fourth line with Alex Galchenyuk and Anthony Angello, Lafferty rifled a shot over Ilya Samsonov’s shoulder en route to a 4-3 Pittsburgh victory. In addition to three goals in six AHL games, the 24-year-old rookie has made 38 big-league appearances, totaling five goals and six assists. Mark Allan

November 2019 – As expected, Lafferty was recalled from the AHL when veteran RW Patric Hornqvist went on the injured-reserve list. Lafferty, 24, will be a prime callup option the rest of the season. In just 10 big-league appearances, he’s tied for fourth among rookies with three goals and tied for ninth with six points. Mark Allan

November 2019 – A strong start (three goals and three assists in 10 games) to his NHL career was not enough to avoid demotion to the AHL once Pittsburgh’s injury-riddled forwards returned. Lafferty’s eye-opening play, however, makes him the go-to callup from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. That could happen sooner rather than later with oft-injured RW Patric Hornqvist on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The versatile Lafferty is expected to mount a strong bid to make the NHL roster out of the 2020 training camp. Mark Allan

October 2019 – Judging from his first NHL goal and two helpers in a 7-4 win over Minnesota, Lafferty wants to remain in the big league. On an all-injury-replacement line, Lafferty combined with fellow AHL promotees Adam Johnson and Joseph Blandisi for three scores and six points. In 13:04, Lafferty was plus-3, with three shots on goal and four faceoff wins in eight tries. The LBJ Line gave the Penguins another huge lift the next day when Lafferty scored twice, including the winner, in a 7-2 whomping of the Jets. Mark Allan

October 2019 – A huge fan of the Penguins growing up about a two-hour drive from Pittsburgh, Lafferty experienced his first NHL shift on a line with childhood hero Sidney Crosby. With 15:30 of ice time in 18 shifts, the big-league neophyte had one of the better games for his team in a disappointing 4-1 loss to the blueline-depleted Jets. Although he was minus-1, Lafferty had four shots on goal, four hits and even won one of two faceoffs. Mark Allan

October 2019 – The 24-year-old was recalled from the AHL due to lower-body injuries suffered by Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad in a 7-2 win over Columbus. Both injured centers are on injured reserve and aren’t expected back soon, which gives at least a short-term opportunity to players like Lafferty. He’ll likely be employed on the fourth line. Mark Allan

September 2019 – Lafferty was one of 17 players assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL in the second round of cuts from Pittsburgh’s training camp. The 24-year-old has an uphill struggle to crack Pittsburgh’s veteran-heavy roster, and he’s an RFA after this campaign. Mark Allan

April 2019 – The 6-1, 185-pound speedster had a promising first full AHL schedule, finishing just one point short of the Wilkes/Barre/Scranton scoring lead with 49 points (including a team-high 36 assists) in 70 games. Undoubtedly helped by the maturity of being 23 to start the campaign, the sturdy Lafferty totaled 94 penalty minutes, demonstrating a physical element that the NHL and AHL Penguins could use. With one more season on his entry-level deal, he’ll surely keep marinating in the minors, although he’ll be only a phone call away from being called up. Mark Allan

December 2018 – The first-time AHLer’s four goals and 11 assists give him 15 points, good for a tie with Teddy Blueger for the team lead in an identical 22 games. He’s not ripping up the league but Lafferty is holding his own after arriving from Brown University. Mark Allan

October 2018 – The AHL is agreeing with the rookie pro, as the budding AHL playmaker has a goal, four helpers and is plus-five in his first six games. A young player’s first pro campaign can be a real grind but Lafferty isn’t showing any strain so far. Mark Allan

September 2018 – Among a mob of 18 hopefuls assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the 23-year-old Brown University alumnus is in the first half of a two-year entry-level contract. As it often is for first-time pros, the AHL will be educational for him. He was plus-1 without any points in two NHL pre-season outings. Mark Allan

May 2018 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton released the RW from his amateur tryout agreement when it signed Linus Ölund to an ATO. That might seem ominous except Lafferty was one of 13 players called up by Pittsburgh from the AHL, although he didn’t get in a game and the Penguins were soon eliminated from Stanley Cup contention. Lafferty’s two-year, entry-level deal with Pittsburgh begins in 2018-19, although it would be a shock if he made the big-league roster. After completing his fourth year with Brown University, the six-foot, 185-pounder had three points in nine AHL league games. He’ll be back with WBS. Mark Allan

March 2018 – A two-year, entry-level contract kicks in next season after his AHL audition with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an amateur tryout pact. The 23-year-old completed his fourth season at Brown University as the team leader with 14 assists and 22 points. His eight goals were second in a campaign that he ended in style with 13 points in his final 11 collegiate games. Lafferty was named the ECAC Player of the Week after a hat trick against Harvard, and made the All-Ivy Second Team for the second straight campaign. Expect him to pay some dues in the AHL beginning in 2018-19. Mark Allan

December 2017 – The 22-year-old is off to a decent start with three goals and five points in nine games in his fourth and final collegiate campaign, although he’ll have to pick up the pace to match his 35 points in 31 games as a junior. While Brown University is off to an uninspiring 4-5 ECAC start, Lafferty had two goals (including the winner) in a 4-2 win over Holy Cross, the Bears’ first non-conference game this season. Mark Allan

June 2017 – Lafferty parlayed a 31-game, 35-point junior campaign at Brown University into a long-list Hoby Baker Trophy nomination, which never looks bad on a hockey player’s resume. The good-but-not-great all-around forward will try to have an even-better senior season to earn a Pittsburgh contract like other collegiate Penguin draftees have before him. Mark Allan December 2016 – Although Pittsburgh drafted him in the fourth round, the Brown University NCAA forward remains a raw project with strong skating and decent size. Scouts are hard-pressed to identify any facet his game that is upper-echelon, although an effective wrist shot and a not-bad hockey IQ don’t hurt his game. After three high school seasons with Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, highlighted by 55 points in 25 games in his final season there, he’s got three NCAA campaigns under his belt with Brown. After compiling a mere 22 points in 62 games in his first two seasons there, he’s piquing the Penguins’ interest by producing at better than a point-per-game clip in his third outing as well as maintaining a neutral plus-minus number, which is an improvement on the previous two seasons. Lafferty’s game remains rough around the edges and he would surely spend time in the minors before he gets any kind of shot at the NHL. Mark Allan