Sam Lafferty

Sam Lafferty

29-Year-Old Right WingRW
Buffalo Sabres
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Lafferty netted a career-high 13 goals and supplied 24 points in 79 games with Vancouver last season. Most of his production came during a 20-game span from Oct. 31-Dec. 9 when he notched seven tallies and six helpers. Lafferty took advantage of his time in the top six for the Canucks before dropping into a bottom-six role on the depth chart. He signed a two-year, $4 million contract with Buffalo in free agency. Lafferty set a new personal best in 2023-24 with 191 hits, marking a third consecutive campaign with at least 125 bodychecks. He utilizes his speed to pressure opponents and kill penalties but doesn't move the needle much from a fantasy perspective. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Sabres in July of 2024.
Set to return Friday
RWBuffalo Sabres
December 20, 2024
Lafferty (lower body) is expected back in the lineup against the Maple Leafs on Friday, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports.
ANALYSIS
Lafferty previously told reporters he would be ready to go if needed, something that did come to fruition after Jordan Greenway (undisclosed) was ruled out long-term. For his part, the 29-year-old Laffeerty has struggled this season with just one point in 22 games while chipping in only 27 hits, 13 shots and 14 PIM. If he doesn't start producing now, Lafferty could be in danger of losing minutes to Ryan McLeod (undisclosed) once McLeod is cleared to play.
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NHL Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
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2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    9:58
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:01
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    0:34
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
15:07
0:35
1:58
2022–23
13:15
0:50
0:55
2023–24
11:53
0:23
0:21
2024–25
9:58
0:01
0:34
Sabres Depth Chart
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Sabres Power Play Depth Chart
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2020
2019
Lafferty's calling cards are speed and grit. While he didn't really live up to expectations after arriving in Toronto via trade last year, he could play an important bottom-six role for the Leafs in 2023-24. That is, if he can make the team, especially with the new arrivals in that group. Lafferty could end up being the antidote for Ryan Reaves' slow feet, and the two of them on a line could be the ultimate 60-grit sandpaper line the team needs. These skills may help the Leafs on the ice, but they won't help you in most fantasy formats. Thirty-point, 140-hit players simply don't tick enough boxes, and that's probably a best-case scenario for Lafferty.
Coming off a solid rookie campaign in which he recorded six goals, seven assists and 95 hits in 50 contests, it seemed as though Lafferty could make a push for a more consistent bottom-six role this year. However, the offseason additions of Mark Jankowski, Evan Rodrigues and Colton Sceviour will make achieving that goal significantly more complicated for Lafferty. Without a clear path to regular minutes in the lineup, the Pennsylvania native figures to remain a low-end fantasy option heading into 2020-21.
Lafferty saw action in 70 games with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year, notching 13 goals and 36 helpers over that span. Even if the Brown University product puts together a solid showing at training camp, the Penguins will almost certainly send him back to their minor-league affiliate in order to ensure that he gets ice time, rather than watching from the press box inside PPG Paints Arena. If he can continue to improve his game, Lafferty could carve out a role as a penalty-killing specialist with the big club in the future.
More Fantasy News
Available if called upon
RWBuffalo Sabres
Lower Body
December 19, 2024
Lafferty (lower body) told reporters he is healthy and could be available against the Maple Leafs on Friday if called upon, Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550 reports.
ANALYSIS
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Added to injured reserve
RWBuffalo Sabres
Lower Body
December 5, 2024
Lafferty (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per the NHL media site.
ANALYSIS
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Deemed week-to-week
RWBuffalo Sabres
Lower Body
December 2, 2024
Lafferty (lower body) didn't practice Monday and is week-to-week, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports.
ANALYSIS
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Unlikely for Saturday
RWBuffalo Sabres
Lower Body
November 29, 2024
Lafferty (lower body) is not expected to be available Saturday versus the Islanders, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports.
ANALYSIS
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Exits Friday's game
RWBuffalo Sabres
Lower Body
November 29, 2024
Lafferty sustained a lower-body injury during Friday's tilt versus Vancouver and won't return.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Rights on the move?
RWFree Agent
June 26, 2024
Lafferty's negotiating rights are expected to be traded to the Blackhawks this week, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
ANALYSIS
The Canucks' main motivation for the deal is to dump Ilya Mikheyev's salary. Lafferty was previously reported to be expected to test free agency, and it's unclear if he'd be willing to sign with Chicago -- a team he played for over parts of two seasons. The 29-year-old had 24 points in 79 contests in 2023-24 as a bottom-six forward.
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