Chicago Blackhawks sign Ben Smith, Antti Raanta and Jeremy Morin to extensions
The NHL Draft is later tonight and it’s always a day filled with trade rumors as each general manager is under the same roof for the next couple of days, but it’s also a time to get some free agent deals out of the way, and that’s what the Chicago Blackhawks have done on Friday.
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Hours after agreeing to deals with restricted free agents Ben Smith and Antti Raanta, Blackhawks general manager, Stan Bowman inked another restricted free agent, coming to terms on a two-year extension with Jeremy Morin that will run through the 2015-2016 season.
ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the salary cap hit will be $800,000 per season. He will make $700,000 this season and $900,000 the next year. Smith’s, 25, extension is worth an average of $1.5 million per year, while Raanta’s, 25, is worth an average of $750,000.
Morin, 23, is one of the young members on the team expected to take the next step in his development this offseason and play a bigger role in the next two years after playing in 24 regular season games and two postseason games this year. He tallied five goals and six assists in the regular season.
Bowman spoke about Morin earlier this month with Comcast Sportsnet and believes Morin is ready to have a breakout season.
“Every year, we’ve seen one or two young guys come in. This year it was Ben Smith. Next year I think Jeremy Morin will have that chance to do that as well,” Bowman said. “He’s sort of knocking on the door of a player that gives you a little bit of everything. The one thing he needs is to get the opportunity.”
That opportunity could come next season as the Blackhawks look to win their third Stanley Cup in the last five seasons.