The Chicago Blackhawks on Friday announced that they have agreed to terms with forward Jeff Hamilton on a one-year contract.
“Hamilton made our team by having a great camp,” said Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon. “He really impressed our staff by the way he played. He was a big part of our success on the power play.”
Hamilton was invited to Blackhawks’ training camp on a tryout basis after having played last season at both Bridgeport in the AHL and with the New York Islanders in the NHL. He had signed an AHL contract with Grand Rapids for 2006-07.
At Bridgeport last season, Hamilton appeared in 39 games, scoring 24 goals and 49 points. With the Islanders, Hamilton played in 13 games and scored two goals and eight points.
In five preseason games for the Blackhawks this year, Hamilton has two goals, both on the power play, and six assists for eight points.
Hamilton, 29, won the inaugural Willie Marshall Award as the AHL’s leading goal scorer in 2003-04, when he potted 43 goals for Bridgeport. The 2004 AHL All-Star has averaged nearly a point per game over 233 career AHL contests with Bridgeport and Hartford, showing 112 goals and 209 points.
