It's all about who you know.
After a pair of seasons with the New Jersey Devils, winger Jordin Tootoo found himself on the open market as an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer.
The 33-year-old quickly signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, and, as it turns out, it was defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook who initiated the union.
The Blackhawks alternate captains all live in Kelowna, British Columbia, and spend time with Tootoo in the offseason. Keith and Seabrook got into the ear of general manager Stan Bowman, who extended the offer which Tootoo agreed to terms with.
"First and foremost he’s a good teammate," Keith said, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times. "He’s a good guy to have in the locker room, and the energy that he brings - I know playing against him, I don’t like going back for pucks when he’s on the ice. You always have to be aware when he’s on the ice because he’s going to finish every hit.
"I think it was a great addition to have him [and add] some physicality. I know the fans in Chicago like seeing big hits at the United Center and I know he’s going to bring that intensity."
Tootoo will be called upon to help plug the hole left by Andrew Shaw, and comes in at a much smaller cap hit of $750,000.
"Every team needs a little spark plug," Tootoo said. "I’ve been around the game a lot of years now, and I just want to add that little piece. And hopefully we can bring the Cup back here."
In 673 career games at the NHL level, Tootoo has recorded 63 goals, 95 assists and 982 penalty minutes.
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