Hawks Add Free Agent Garrison

The Chicago Blackhawks yesterday reached an agreement with another minor-league free agent. The team inked defencman Jason Garrison to a 3 year entry-level deal. The former college star spent last season in the American League where he enjoyed a standout rookie season. He put up 8 goals and 35 points in 75 games, and also represented his team in the AHL all-star game.  "We believe that Jason was the prize of the overage UFA class, and see him as a lot further along in his development as the much higher touted Mat Gilroy despite being the same age".

Garrison will join the Hawks AHL affiliate at Rockford, where the minor league team has assembled a blue line that would be the envy of some NHL squads. The team bosts young standouts Jack Johnson, Keith Yandle, Nicklas Grossman, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Casey Borer. Garrison will join the group and take the final starting spot while Darcy Campbell and Joe Piskula round out the defence. Look for Garrison to quickly claw his way up the depth chart to the point he may eventually challenge for a spot with the big league club.

The move seems to have rounded out the roster for the Ice Hogs as Ville Leino, Sean Bentivoglio, Eric Walsky and David Marshall were added to bolster the forward group, and Mike Brodeur joins the club to battle Curtis Sanford for the goaltending job.