advertisement

Hawks' Morin, Smith, Raanta agree to extensions

On the eve of the NHL draft, the Chicago Blackhawks announced they have agreed to two-year contract extensions with forward Jeremy Morin, forward Ben Smith and backup goaltender Antti Raanta.

Each of the deals will run through the 2015-16 National Hockey League season, team officials said..

Morin, 23, tallied 11 points (5g, 6a) in 24 regular-season games last year with the Blackhawks and appeared in two Stanley Cup Playoff games with the club. He also recorded 47 points (24g, 23a) in 47 games with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.

Smith, 25, recorded career highs in nearly every statistical category last season, posting 26 points (14G, 12A) in 75 regular-season games with the Blackhawks. He native won 50.8 percent of his faceoffs and ranked second among team forwards with 58 blocked shots. Smith had 4 goals and 2 assists in 19 Stanley Cup playoff games last season, and was tied for third on the team with a +5 plus/minus rating and 28 blocked shots during the postseason.

Raanta, 25, posted a 13-5-4 record with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage in 25 appearances in his NHL debut last season.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.