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The Blackhawks<\/a> avoided entering training camp without a young piece of their defense by signing Wyatt Kaiser to a new two-year contract Wednesday.<\/p>\n Kaiser had been a restricted free agent with no arbitration rights or offer-sheet eligibility, giving him little leverage in negotiations other than simply waiting. <\/p>\n After fellow RFAs Louis Crevier and Arvid Soderblom inked<\/a> new two-year deals in July, he had been the team\u2019s last free agent standing for months \u2014 becoming one of the last six unsigned RFAs around the entire NHL, in fact. Both sides remained confident throughout that a deal would eventually be reached, but it still came down to the last minute.<\/p>\n The new contract carries a $1.7 million salary-cap hit, which probably isn\u2019t as much as Kaiser wanted but does mark a sizable raise upon his $916,000 cap hit during his entry-level contract.<\/p>\n Kaiser, 23, bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL the last two seasons before taking a major developmental step forward<\/a> last March and April, playing by far his best and most consistent hockey to date. He finished 2024-25 with eight points (including four goals) in 57 NHL appearances.<\/p>\n Kaiser\u2019s agility and quickness seemed to make him an ideal partner for erratic Artyom Levshunov, so the Hawks will likely explore reuniting that duo during camp.<\/p>\n Kaiser, Levshunov, Crevier, Sam Rinzel, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan will all compete for roster spots alongside stalwarts Alex Vlasic and Connor Murphy and PTO invitee Matt Grzelcyk.<\/p>\n