Hjalmarsson receives qualifying offer

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LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Blackhawks extended a qualifying offer to defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, a source has confirmed.

Hjalmarsson, Antti Niemi, Andrew Ladd, and Jordan Hendry are the four Blackhawks restricted free agents who can accept offer sheets from other teams if they are not signed to extensions before July 1.

As of Saturday afternoon, Ladd and Hendry had not received offers, setting them up to become unrestricted free agents. The deadline to qualify restricted free agents is Monday. Either or both players could still be qualified before the deadline.

The Blackhawks would receive compensation for a player that has been extended a qualifying offer but leaves the team via free agency. There is no compensation for a player that changes teams as an unrestricted free agent.

Hjarmalsson made $666,000 last season.

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Jesse Rogers | email

Chicago Cubs beat reporter

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Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers the Chicago Cubs for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN Radio 1000.