The Chicago Blackhawks announced earlier this morning that they had agreed to terms with Portland Winterhawks defenseman Henri Jokiharju on a three year entry level contract.
Jokiharju was drafted by the Blackhawks in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft (29th overall), last June. After attending prospect and training camps in Chicago, the teenager was re-assigned to his junior team for another season.
In Portland, he out-shined his peers by amassing 12 goals and 71 points in 63 regular season games, while also putting up three goals and eight points in 12 playoff games and being named a WHL (West) Second Team All-Star.
The Finnish defenseman also played played for his native country in international play, collecting four goals and eight points in 15 games played.
Jokiharju is expected to compete for a spot with the Blackhawks in training camp with the defensive group currently being wide open, but cannot be assigned to Rockford until next season when he will be 20 years of age on June 17th. As a result, if he does not make the Blackhawks this fall, he will return to Portland.