Landon Slaggert Scores After Strong World Junior
The United States brought Landon Slaggert to the World Junior Championships to be a hard-nosed, gritty forward, and that style of play paid off against top-ranked at the time Minnesota last weekend.
The third-round Chicago Blackhawks draft pick scored a goal and an assist in the first of a two-game series against the Golden Gophers. Slaggert won a puck battle behind the net and passed the puck to his brother Graham who was waiting in front of the net for the game-winning strike. He also scored a power-play goal, tying the game at two.
“I’ve always just played with [Graham Slaggert] in practice but never in a game and we’re finally together on the same team,” Slaggert said. “I think his vision and playmaking abilities compliment my grit and tenacity on the puck so I think we definitely work well together.”
Landon Slaggert and Team USA Win Gold at the World Junior Championship
Slaggert returned to the lineup fresh off a gold medal with the United States at the World Junior Championships.
“I think it did give me some confidence,” Slaggert said. “I think playing with a ton of other great hockey players from across the nation, learning some different things from them and practicing at that high pace, I brought that back to Notre Dame and it allowed me to step right back into my role, play with some confidence and contribute right away.”
The United States utilized Slaggert in a depth role throughout the tournament. Even though he didn’t register a point in seven games, he felt he played well.
“My role was to be myself, playing my game, and I definitely think I did a good job at that” Slaggert said. “I was penalty killing, being hard on the forecheck, laying some hits and I think I delivered.”
His hard work paid off, and the red white and blue came home with a gold medal. Slaggert was smiling from ear to ear as he listened to the national anthem.
“I don’t even know if I can put it into words,” Slaggert said. “Being there with your brothers, singing the nation’s song, there’s not really a way to describe that feelings, but I’ll tell you it’s one of the best feelings you’ll ever have.
USA HOCKEY IS DO OR DIE
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 6, 2021
Growing Up in a Hockey Home
Landon Slaggert is the son of Andy Slaggert, who also played college hockey at Notre Dame and has been on the coaching staff since 1993. His father was instrumental in getting his son to where he is now.
“It’s definitely a unique situation having a dad as a coach,” Slagget said. “I had a pretty good game and I remember we got in the car afterwards and I’m waiting for him to say something and there’s nothing out of him for a while. So I asked, ‘how did I play?’ and he said, ‘how do you think you played?'”
That style of coaching seemed to work. Slaggert not only made his father’s college team, but was drafted this summer by the Chicago Blackhawks, about a two-hour drive from his hometown of South Bend, Indiana.
“It’s definitely been a very emotional year,” Slaggert said. “It’s special obviously to play my first game in a Notre Dame sweater and then also to get drafted by the Blackhawks, that was a special moment for me and my family.”
Back to the Fighting Irish
Slaggert now comes back to the Fighting Irish with a better understanding of getting into the dirty areas (as Butch Goring says) to help his team succeed.
“I think we’re on the brink of being a good team,” Slaggert said. “We show flashes of it and I think if we just learn to do that for a whole 60 minutes, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
After their first win against Minnesota, head coach Jeff Jackson was a happy camper.
“I thought we played a good 60 minute hockey game,” Jackson said. “Pretty much in every aspect of the game I thought we did a nice job. It was good to see us put together a power play goal. We did a good job managing the puck, so for us it was a big step in being able to string together a full 60.”
Slaggert and the Fighting Irish return home to face Michigan in a Thursday-Friday series. Both games will be at 6:30 p.m. with Game one on SNY and Game two on NBCSN.
Born and raised on Long Island. Isles fan since 2009. Studying journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.
