The Chicago Blackhawks locked in Landon Slaggert as his contract extension will add organizational depth.
Landon Slaggert's first dream came true when the Chicago Blackhawks selected him in the third round (79th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft. Since then, he has worked hard to become an everyday professional hockey player.
He played his college hockey at Notre Dame and he is a native of South Bend, Indiana. Being with the Blackhawks franchise is likely the best-case scenario for the local kid.
On Friday, the Hawks announced that they have given Slaggert a two-year extension that will keep him with Chicago organization through the 2026-27 season.
It is a one-way cap-hit of $900K. As of right now, the Hawks have Slaggert in the AHL playing for the Rockford IceHogs. He is down there with a lot of supremely talented prospects who expect to be high-volume producers in the big leagues one day.
Slaggert should have similar expectations of himself. He should be aiming to take his game to another level so he can cash in with his next deal. With it being a one-way deal, he will make $900K no matter where he is playing in the organization.
Rockford has only played one game so far this year and Slaggert collected one assist in the win. In 16 career NHL games, he has one goal and three assists for four points.
Slaggert's college career has led many to believe that he can be a contributor at the NHL level. At Notre Dame, he played in 136 contests and notched 92 points. Being an alternate captain there also helped develop his leadership skills.
He won the Gold Medal with Team USA at the World Junior Championships in 2021 and he played in the NCAA Tournament twice while at Notre Dame. Winning has followed him and so has offensive production.
If he gets the call-up again over the next handful of years and produces at a medium-high level, this 900K cap hit is going to be a bargain. There is nothing wrong with extra organizational depth.