Plenty of opportunity on revamped Blackhawks defense

For almost a decade, Niklas Hjalmarsson was a mainstay on the Blackhawks’ back end, quietly providing some of the most effective defense in the league. In addition to Hjalmarsson, the ‘Hawks also bid adieu to Brian Campbell, Johnny Oduya, and Trevor van Riemsdyk this offseason. “We’re going to see when we’re putting the pairs together, whether we’re going to reunite [Duncan Keith] and [Brent Seabrook] or look for some balance,” head coach Joel Quenneville said, per CSN Chicago.

Is Mika Zibanejad worth the five-year investment from Rangers?

The New York Rangers knew what center Mika Zibanejad wanted. Heading into an arbitration hearing scheduled for Tuesday, the 24-year-old was asking for one year at $5.35 million. No, to get that annual value on that deal, the Rangers wanted Zibanejad locked down for a bit.

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  Rangers lock up Zibanejad for next five years

  ProHockeyTalk
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  Mika Zibanejad signs FIVE-YEAR deal worth $5.3 million

  SNY

Morning Skate: NHL passes on participating in 2018 Olympics

The figures and briefs are in for the Bruins and Ryan Spooner for their arbitration hearing Wednesday, but both sides are still hoping that a deal can be reached prior to it. The Bruins have submitted a one-year contract offer for $2 million. Spooner’s camp countered with $3.85 million, creating a sizeable gap of almost $2 million between the two. Spooner, 25, has averaged 12 goals and 44 points the past two seasons with the B’s, including 35 power-play points while working the half-wall for a Boston PP that’s been ranked seventh overall two seasons in a row. MORE BRUINS What's left out there in free agency for Bruins?  Haggerty: Touting Bruins' defense as "strength" of the team is a tad premature 

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  Colorado Avalanche sign Matt Nieto to a $1 million contract

  Mile High Hockey
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  A Brief History of Mike Cammalleri

  Jewels From The Crown