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December 23
HAWKS RE-SIGN FRASER, CRAWFORD, BROUWER
Four former IceHogs were among five players to re-sign with the Blackhawks on Monday
Chicago, Ill.- The Chicago Blackhawks announced Monday the team has agreed to terms with five free agents. Right wing Troy Brouwer and goaltender Corey Crawford agreed to two-year contracts, while left wing Ben Eager, center Colin Fraser and defenseman Aaron Johnson all inked one-year deals.
“I am happy to have these five players back with us. They are quality individuals who played an important role with us last season and their talents are a big part of our goals for next season,” said General Manager Dale Tallon.
Brouwer, 23, appeared in 69 regular-season games with Chicago during his first full National Hockey League campaign last season. He ranked second among Blackhawks rookies with 10 goals, 16 assists and 26 points and third overall on the squad with 125 hits. The Vancouver, British Columbia, native also tallied two assists and tied for third on the club with 50 hits in 17 tilts during his Stanley Cup Playoff debut. The 214th overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Brouwer has tallied 27 points (10g-17a) in 81 career games with the Blackhawks. His 37 career goals with the IceHogs is the most among IceHogs AHL players. In 79 career games with Rockford, Brouwer has totalled 62 points (37g-25a).
Crawford, 24, appeared in one postseason game with the Blackhawks in 2009, posting six saves on seven shots in 11:51 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against Detroit on May 24. The Montréal, Québec, native spent the 2008-09 campaign with Rockford, leading the club with 22 wins (22-20-3) and a .917 save percentage while notching a 2.59 goals-against average in 47 appearances during the regular season. He has appeared between the pipes for 102 games with the IceHogs over two seasons. Since making his debut with the Blackhawks in 2005-06, Crawford has appeared in seven regular season games, notching a 1-2-1 mark with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Fraser, 24, appeared in 81 of Chicago’s 82 regular-season games in 2008-09, his first full NHL season, ranking third among club rookies in goals (6), assists (11) and points (17) while accruing 55 penalty minutes. The Sicamous, British Columbia, native also posted two penalty minutes in two contests during his Stanley Cup Playoff debut. Fraser has appeared in 87 career games with Chicago over the past three seasons, which includes racking up nine penalty minutes in six combined contests in 2006-07 and 2007-08. He has also registered 488 penalty minutes and 102 points (41g-61a) in 220 career AHL games in the Blackhawks system with the Norfolk Admirals (2004-07) and IceHogs (2007-08). In 75 games with Rockford in 2007-08, Fraser finished fifth on the team in scoring with 41 points (17g-24a) and second with 165 penalty minutes.
Johnson, 26, matched a career high with three goals and posted eight points in 38 regular-season games with the Blackhawks last season. The Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia native tied for fifth on the team with a +19 plus/minus rating, which includes posting an even or plus rating in 35 of his 38 contests. He has appeared in 184 career regular-season NHL contests over the last five seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2003-07), New York Islanders (2007-08) and Blackhawks (2008-09), recording 36 points (10G, 26A) and 156 penalty minutes. He played two games with the IceHogs to start the 2008-09 season before being recalled to Chicago.
Eager, 25, posted career highs in goals (11), points (15) and games played (74) with the Blackhawks during the 2008-09 regular season, while leading the team and ranking 13th in the NHL with 161 penalty minutes. The Ottawa, Ontario, native led the league with 61 penalty minutes and recorded two points (1g-1a) in 17 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Eager has racked up 501 penalty minutes and 36 points (20g-16a) in 195 career NHL outings over parts of four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers (2005-08) and Blackhawks (2008-09).
