Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms with defenseman Alex Vlasic on a six-year contract extension, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago. His contract runs through the 2029-30 season and carries a cap hit of $4.6 million.
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Vlasic's contract includes a 10-team no-trade list in Years 5 and 6 of the deal, according to Puck Pedia.
"Alex made enormous strides this year and proved he is a legitimate top-four defenseman in the NHL,” Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "In his first full season in the NHL, Alex established himself as an important piece of our young core, and we’re excited to have him with us for the next six years."
Vlasic, 22, was set to become a restricted free agent and was due for a significant pay-raise. It's no surprise both the player and team sought a longer-term contract. Both parties seemed committed to each other.
"I would love to be here as long as possible," Vlasic said in his exit interview on Saturday. "It's amazing being able to play for my hometown team, the same city I grew up in, so I'm not really looking to go anywhere else. I want to be here as long as possible and he knows that. I think a lot of people would assume that, so yeah it's been great so far this year and hopefully it'll continue in the future."
Chicago Blackhawks
The extension is a win-win for both the player and the team. Vlasic gets security in his hometown, and Chicago locks up a core member at a team-friendly number, which should look even better over time as the salary cap increases.
Vlasic registered 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 76 games with the Blackhawks this season. He also averaged 21:28 of ice time, which ranked second on the team. He was easily the breakout player of the season for the Blackhawks.
"I think I took a lot of big steps and improved my game," Vlasic said. "Coming in, I didn't know what to expect of myself and I think I kind of exceeded my expectations of what this year was going to look like for me and I'm very happy with it."