UPDATE: The move is now official.
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Free agent defenseman Brian Campbell has “made his decision” and will return to the Chicago Blackhawks, reports ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun. The deal is expected to be for one year and around $2 million in base salary, with additional performance-related bonuses included.
The deal won’t be official until later Friday when free agency opens starting at 11 a.m. CT. Chicago had roughly $3 million in available cap space to work with, so the Campbell signing still leaves some flexibility as free agency opens Friday morning.
Campbell, 37, helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2010 and has played the past five seasons with the Florida Panthers on an eight-year, $57 million contract. The unrestricted free agent has recorded 82 goals and 405 assists in 1,002 career games with the Sabres, Sharks, Hawks and Panthers. He scored six goals with 25 assists and a plus-5.7 percent Corsi relative last season.
Campbell will likely be paired with Brent Seabrook for the second pairing, which would cement Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson together as the top pairing and free up younger players to battle for the remaining spots. Michal Rozsival, who the Hawks signed to a one-year deal worth $600,000 on Thursday, is also another option.