Blackhawks sign forward prospect Landon Slaggert to two-year contract
Landon Slaggert signed with the Blackhawks on Sunday.
Robert Franklin/AP Photos
It didn't take the Blackhawks long to get a deal done with prospect forward Landon Slaggert. They signed him to a two-year entry-level contract Sunday, just one day after his senior season at Notre Dame ended.
Slaggert is expected to join the Hawks for the remainder of the NHL regular season, and he should slot into a bottom-six role pretty quickly.
The Hawks were fine with trading Anthony Beauvillier and losing Boris Katchouk on waivers last week in part because they knew Slaggert — someone they actually view as a potential long-term piece — would be coming soon.
This year represents one of the two years on the contract, meaning it will expire in summer 2025. It carries a salary-cap hit of $912,500.
When Slaggert said in late January that he planned to sign with the Hawks after the season ended, squashing any concerns about him pursuing free agency, his focus was still very much on trying to get Notre Dame into the NCAA tournament.
That didn't come to fruition, though, as the Fighting Irish lost eight of their final 10 games — including a pair of heartbreakers against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend.
His decision to return for his senior year after a disappointing junior year paid off for him individually, though. He led the team with 31 points in 36 games, becoming the first Notre Dame player to score 20 goals in a season since 2017.
"He just continued that style of play — the relentless, high-compete style — and added a little bit of offense this year, which was good to see and good for his confidence," Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson said.