Penguins Give RFA Sam Lafferty 2-Year Contract

Scratch another off the to-do list of Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford. Rutherford announced the Penguins signed restricted free agent forward Sam Lafferty to a two-year contract on Thursday evening.

Lafferty will make $750,000 in each of the next two seasons.

The Penguins rookie played in 50 NHL games due to a spate of injuries throughout the Penguins lineup, and in part, because the 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward earned playing time.

Lafferty scored 13 points (7g, 6a) in 50 games and played in one of the Penguins postseason games against the Montreal Canadiens.

“We have been very pleased with Sam’s development,” said Rutherford. “His size and speed are big advantages in today’s game, and his style of play complements our team well.”

The Hollidaysburg, PA native made his NHL debut on Oct. 8, 2019, against the Winnipeg Jets. Lafferty scored six points (3g, 3a) in his first 10 NHL games, including back-to-back multi-point games on Oct. 12 and 13 in Minnesota (1g, 2a) and Winnipeg (2g).

Before his professional debut, Lafferty played four seasons at Brown University from 2014-18. The forward recorded 79 points (29G-50A) in 124 collegiate games. Lafferty represented his team as an alternate captain in his final two seasons while also being named to the All-Ivy League Second Team in each of those seasons as well.

The Penguins originally drafted Lafferty in the fourth round (113^th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.

Penguins Salary Cap

The move gives the Pittsburgh Penguins about $4 million of salary-cap space before the free-agent frenzy, which begins at noon on Friday. The Penguins other RFA forward, Anthony Angello, has yet to sign a contract. Neither Angello nor Lafferty were arbitration-eligible.

PHN looked at the low-cost free agent defensemen who could fit with the Penguins. You can read that story here and follow PHN for up-to-date coverage. And follow on Twitter, @thedankingerski