Chicago Blackhawks 2025-26 Player Grades: Landon Slaggert

With the Blackhawks, Slaggert’s role was to be hard to play against. He brought grit, energy and tenacity. His 79 hits ranked fifth on the team, and he was a regular contributor on the penalty kill. Slaggert was strong on the forecheck and good at hounding the puck to create turnovers. He brought decent speed too, which was obviously another asset. Head coach Jeff Blashill gave this assessment of Slaggert’s game in early April.

When Slaggs is at his best, he’s on the forecheck, disrupting plays, creating turnovers, going to the net and a good penalty killer. Those are kind of the things that I think he does best. And I think he’s done a pretty good job of that overall lately. It’s just probably kind of providing that north-south game and energy. 

Slaggert was a solid depth player this past season, and his drive and determination on the ice can’t be argued. But there are other players who can do that same thing and also offer more of an offensive upside. Ryan Donato and Andrew Mangiapane are similar depth-type players. Donato scored 15 goals this past season, and Mangiapane eight (between the Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers). Nick Foligno, before he was traded, often-times played on the fourth line. He came away with 11 points (three goals and eight assists). All of this was more than Slaggert’s three goals and four assists.

The point is that Slaggert, for all his grit and physicality, would be much more of an asset if he could also add to the score sheet. Blashill mentioned him getting to the net, which is where he can score more goals. Can he do that more often and provide more finish next season?

The almost 24-year-old (24 on June 25) has one more year on his second contract with the Blackhawks, carrying a cap hit of $900,000. He’ll need to come to training camp ready to show his worth on the team. It will be a big prove-it season for Slaggert, with other players gunning to take his spot in the lineup.

Quotable Quote

Slaggert ahead of the Boston Bruins game on Jan. 17, speaking on two of his best assets; his speed and tenacity.

I think they honestly go hand in hand, to be honest. I think my speed allows me to be tenacious on pucks, and then force some turnovers on the forecheck. Like I said, I think that’s something that I take pride in too. The puck is really valuable out there, and the more that we have it, the better chance we have to win the game. So the more that I can force some turnovers, get the puck for us, play some offense, the better.

Slaggert’s Final Grade: C

Slaggert showed he can be a gritty, tenacious and defensively minded depth player for the Blackhawks. But there was very little offensive upside. He’ll be competing with other players who could offer more of a well-rounded game for a spot next season.