Breaking: Blackhawks announce to key contract extensions on Tuesday.

Two veteran Blackhawks players are likely thanking the Las Vegas Golden Knights today.

On Monday the Blackhawks announced that they had signed two of their veteran players to one-year contract extensions, and when you consider that they have played a combined 56 games for the team this season and habe just two points between them, it seems likely the Expansion Draft may have played a big role in these deals.

From the Blackhawks official announcement:

The Chicago Blackhawks announced today they have agreed to terms on a one-year contract extensions with defenseman Michal Rozsival and forward Jordin Tootoo. Each extension runs through the end of the 2017-18 National Hockey League season.

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This move will now allow the Blackhawks to avoid placing players like Trevor Van Riemsdyk and Ryan Hartman at risk of being selected in the expansion draft.