The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have agreed to terms with defenseman Jan (YAHN) Rutta (ROO-tah) on a one-year contract that runs through the 2017-18 season.

"Jan has been on our radar for a number of years and he has shown great progress on the ice during that time," said Senior Vice President and General Manager Stan Bowman. "His addition to the organization makes our defense more dynamic and he has shown he can contribute offensively as well."

Rutta registered career highs in assists (24) and points (32) in 46 games during the 2016-17 campaign with the Czech Extraliga's Pirati Chomutov. He added two goals and 11 helpers in 17 postseason contests.