Marcus Kruger: Inks One-Year Deal With Blackhawks

Kruger signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks on Friday.

Analysis:

It took far longer than expected, but a trade that sent Kris Versteeg to the Hurricanes on Friday gave the Hawks the cap space they needed to finally get a deal done with Kruger. Kruger isn't a potent offensive contributor, as he only registered 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 81 games with Chicago last season. He is, however, a penalty-killing stud, and a force to be reckoned with in the faceoff dot, skills that make him a valuable commodity for the Hawks. He will likely return to a bottom-six role with Chicago in 2015-16.