Despite limited ice time, Sam Lafferty is beloved by the Blackhawks: 'He's just a joy to be around'

NEW YORK — Every morning at the recently renamed Blackhawks Ice Center, Connor Bedard and Sam Lafferty take over the team ping-pong table for a series against each other.

And every time, Lafferty wins.

"I haven't beaten him yet this year," Bedard said Friday. "Every time it's Game Six or Game Seven, he takes me down."

They're similarly inseparable at the card table on team flights or at the dinner table at restaurants on the road, except they let others join them for those activities.

They've played a few rounds of golf, too, and Bedard cherishes the one time in Los Angeles he got to partner with Lafferty instead of having to compete against his supposedly incredible golfing skills.

They've become extremely close friends, with Bedard estimating he has possibly spent more time with Lafferty this season than anyone else on the team. The 30-goal scorer's appreciation for the one-goal scorer is immense.

"I don't know how many games he's played this year, but he's the most positive guy at the rink every single day," Bedard said. "There hasn't been one day this year where he's been down or sulking. He comes in and is cracking jokes every day. He's just a joy to be around."

On the ice, Lafferty's second stint with the Hawks has not been nearly as impactful as his first (in 2021-22 and 2022-23), and it's nearing an end with nine games left in the season.

The now-31-year-old forward has, as referenced, just one goal — actually a highlight-reel beauty Nov. 12 against the Devils — and one assist in 26 games. He has been a healthy scratch a whopping 47 times and has averaged only 8:30 of ice time when in the lineup.

His willingness to maintain such a good attitude about that minuscule role has been valuable for the Hawks in numerous ways, though.

For one thing, it provides roster flexibility to have a guy on hand who can step in when needed — due to injuries or illness — and won't protest if weeks go by without injuries or illnesses. That allows the Hawks to not have to disrupt prospects' development by shuffling them back and forth between Chicago and Rockford.

Lafferty's jovial, lighthearted personality has also boosted the mood in the locker room, in the gym, on the bus and everywhere else. He's a positive influence off the ice.

"I just try to go about my business every day and take the mindset, 'What can I do? What can I control to try to help the team?'" Lafferty said recently.

"I love this group of guys. I think the sky is the limit, and we just want to keep pushing every day. It's cool to see some of these young guys growing and taking their futures to the next level. ... Even though I haven't played as much as I would like, it's been a blast coming to the rink every day with this group."

Ask any Hawk about Lafferty and a smile instantly spreads across their face.

"He's one of the best guys, honestly," Nick Lardis said. "He's always in such a great mood, whether he's in or out of the lineup. He's just nice to all these guys, and he's honestly a good guy to learn from, too."

"He's a great teammate, first and foremost — a guy you can talk to, joke around with," Ryan Donato said. "[Even though] I'm sure he'd like to play more, you really couldn't tell. He doesn't let it faze him. He doesn't let himself or his teammates get dragged down by it. ... He never lets us know for a second that he's upset. He's always working extremely hard."

Lafferty may have no bigger fan than Bedard, though.

"[He's] one of my favorite people I've met in hockey," Bedard said. "I'm grateful to have played with him this year."