ESPN

The Chicago Blackhawks signed restricted free agent Kris Versteeg to a three-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The deal is worth $9.25 million.

Versteeg, 23, led all rookies last season with 31 assists and was second with 53 points. He was fourth among first-year players with 22 goals, earning him a nomination for the 2009 Calder Trophy as Chicago advanced to the Western Conference finals.

"Kris' tremendous rookie season was a big reason the team was able to go as far as it did," Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon said in a news release. "He is part of a core of young players that is going to make this franchise successful for a long time."

Versteeg finished third in the league with seven short-handed points. He recorded the first goal at Wrigley Field when he scored 3:24 into the Winter Classic on Jan. 1 against Detroit. The Lethbridge, Alberta, native also had an assist in that game.

Versteeg was the last of seven restricted free agents the Blackhawks have signed during the past two days. The fate of those players became murky when qualifying offers from the team were received after the June 29 deadline.

The NHLPA filed a grievance over the apparent mishandling of the offers. If the grievance went to an arbitrator, it was possible the players could have become unrestricted free agents, and the Blackhawks could have lost them on the open market.

The Blackhawks signed the other six players to contracts on Monday. Versteeg's agent, David Kaye, told ESPNChicago.com on Tuesday afternoon that Versteeg "most definitely" wanted to stay in Chicago, and the agent thought a deal was imminent.

Information from ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun and The Associated Press was used in this story.