Canucks pick up 'grit' in trade for Leafs' Lafferty
Written by I Dig SportsThe Vancouver Canucks obtained forward Sam Lafferty from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday for a 2024 fifth-round pick.
Lafferty, 28, can be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
"As we work towards becoming a tougher team to play against, Sam will add some grit and sandpaper to our lineup," Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. "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."
Toronto had obtained Lafferty as part of a multiple-player, multiple-draft pick transaction with the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 27. He collected 2 goals, 4 assists and 9 penalty minutes in 19 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs and added three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in nine playoff games.
Lafferty has 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) and 118 penalty minutes in 210 regular-season games for the Pittsburgh Penguins (2019-22), Blackhawks (2022-23) and Maple Leafs. He was a fourth-round pick by the Penguins in 2014.