The Chicago Blackhawks continued the overhaul of their defense Thursday by signing free agent defenseman Cody Franson to a PTO. The non-guaranteed deal allows Franson to join the Hawks for camp and preseason in the hopes of earning a contract for the season.
There’s been a good deal of discussion surrounding Franson lately because of his status as the top defenseman left on the market. He’s a 30-year-old with a strong track record on the analytics side, and while hockey folks don’t love his lack of foot speed, it’s a sensible move given how low-risk it is.