Local Stars Making a Professional Splash

Former Adams High School Student Landon Slaggert breaks a Blackhawks record

BY KIRBY SPROULS // POSTED FEBRUARY 2, 2025

The Chicago Blackhawks have been playing hockey since 1926. That's 6,654 regular season games as of February 1.

That was the night when South Bend's Landon Slaggert, playing in only his 19th National Hockey League game, pulled off a remarkable feat unmatched by any Blackhawks player over their 98 seasons.

When the puck dropped to open the Chicago-Florida game, the Blackhawks' Ryan Donato won the face-off and managed to scoot the puck into the Panthers' zone. Slaggert, out-skating two defensemen, chased it down and slipped a nifty backhand in the five hole of all-star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. That's between the goalie's legs for those unfamiliar with hockey lingo.

Seven seconds is all it took. Just like that, the former Notre Dame standout was in the Blackhawks' record book with the quickest goal at the start of a game in franchise history.

Alas, it was the Hawks' only goal as they fell to the defending Stanley Cup champions, 5-1. But, hey, while Blackhawk losses are all-too-common these days, seven-second goals are not.

It was 30 years ago, almost to the day, when Brent Sutter set the team's previous record with a goal at the :08 mark. For the league record, you have to go back to 1926 (again) when Merlyn Phillips of the Montreal Maroons scored in five seconds.

“I was just focused on getting some pressure on their defensemen and the puck just squirted to an area,” Slaggert told NHL.com of his heroics. “I saw I could get to it first. I just caught a break and it ended up working out.

“Donato said in the pile that it might be the fastest so that's kind of funny to hear. It's pretty wild. Happened pretty quick.”

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Slaggert's NHL season didn't start quickly, though, as the Florida game was only his third of the season. He played 16 games with the Hawks last year, joining them after the Notre Dame season ended in March. But the rebuilding Hawks signed a handful of free agent veterans in the offseason, resulting in several of their younger players, including the 22-year-old Slaggert, beginning the year with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.

The Hawks seem to like Slaggert's ability to play at both ends of the ice. The left-winger was drafted in the third round in 2020 and played four years at ND, where his father, Andy, is the associate head coach. One brother, Graham, also played for ND while another, Carter, currently plays for the Irish.

The record-setting goal was Slaggert's second goal of the season and third in his brief career.

Moreover, the emergence of Slaggert, a former Adams High School student, emphasizes the presence of several South Bend natives currently on pro sports teams, seemingly the most we've enjoyed in modern times.

A capsule look at others:

Skylar Diggins-Smith / Seattle Storm: The onetime Washington High School and Notre Dame standout completed her 10th year in the WNBA last fall, earning AP's Comeback Player of the Year award. A six-time all-star, the 34-year-old guard averaged 15.1 points, 6.4 assists (fourth in the WNBA) and 2.6 rebounds. Her 257 assists were a franchise record for one season and she's now the 11th all-time WNBA leader in assists. She's had 68 games with at least 20 points and five assists, the second most in league history. This offseason she's playing for the Lunar Owls in the new Unrivaled three-on-three league. Diggins-Smith is married to Daniel Smith, a former Clay High School athlete and Notre Dame football player.

Jaden Ivey / Detroit Pistons: This former Marian High, La Lumiere School and Purdue University guard, the fifth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, was having his most productive season as the starting point guard when he broke the fibula in his left leg. In 30 games, he was averaging 29.9 minutes, 17.6 points, 4.0 assists and 4.1 rebounds. He had improved his three-point field goal percentage to 40.9 percent, well above the league average of 35.9. A return late this season has not been ruled out. After losing an NBA single season record 28 straight games last year, the resurgent Pistons are in position to make the playoffs.

Blake Wesley / San Antonio Spurs: The Riley High School graduate became the first Notre Dame player to compete one season before turning pro. He was drafted 25th in the first round of the NBA Draft in 2022. He's currently competing for playing time on a vastly improved Spurs team featuring Victor Wembanyama, that has an outside shot at the playoffs. Wesley played in 31 of the Spurs' first 47 games, averaging 9.3 minutes, 3.1 points and 1.9 assists. Among the 6-foot-5 shooting guard's most productive games were an 11-point, four-assist night in a win over Utah and an eight-assist game in a victory over Portland. He is on the third year of his four-year rookie contract.

Danny Pinter / Indianapolis Colts: The Adams High and Ball State University graduate was selected fifth in the NFL Draft by the Colts in 2020. He just completed his fifth year in the league, serving as a backup center and guard. He started two games at center this season, including a win at New England, and on the season allowed zero sacks. He was a regular offensive lineman on special teams. A onetime tight end at Ball State, his most memorable career moment so far is catching a touchdown pass against the Jets in 2021 on a tackle eligible play, becoming the first Colts lineman to catch a TD pass since 2014. He is currently a free agent with the free agency signing period beginning in March.

Kirby Sprouls is retired after working 42 years as a reporter and editor — covering both news and sports — at four Indiana newspapers, most recently the South Bend Tribune.