Marcus Kruger
Jun 3, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Marcus Kruger (16) is shoved by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn (55) as center Brian Boyle (11) and goalie Ben Bishop (30) look on in the first period in game one of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena. Reuters/Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a one-year deal with Marcus Kruger, who was a restricted free agent in this offseason.

The league’s official website reported the deal for the 25-year-old from Sweden who had 17 points (7 goals and 10 assists) in 81 games in the regular season last year and added 4 points (2 goals and 2 assists) in 23 games in the playoffs.

"Right now, I just try to focus on getting in the best shape I can be in a month from now," Kruger said via NHL.com last August. "That's all I can do. Then, I think everything else will sort out. I love playing hockey. I know I'm going to do that. We will see what happens, but I'm not too worried about it."

ESPN reported that the one-year contract is worth $1.5 million and added that Kruger’s agent J.P. Barry is still expecting a long-term deal with the Blackhawks in the future.

“The reality is you do the deal now,” Barry said in the report. “Everybody knows, Chicago knows, he wants to be there. He wants to continue the discussion of a long-term deal. There’s a lot of good faith. From our standpoint, the strategy now is for Chicago to work hard to open up cap room and do an extension later this year.”

The Blackhawks also traded right wing Kris Versteeg to the Carolina Hurricanes along with forward Joakim Nordstrom plus a third round pick in the 2017 draft for defensemen Dennis Robertson and Jake Massie plus a fifth round pick in the 2017 draft.

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