The Chicago Blackhawks finally closed out their offseason business with no time to spare.

A day before the Blackhawks officially took the ice for their first practice, defenseman Wyatt Kaiser agreed on a two-year contract extension with a $1.7 million annual average value on Wednesday.

The Blackhawks and Kaiser's agent had been negotiating for some time this offseason, but neither side had been in a rush, with the 23-year-old Kaiser having no arbitration rights. The extension isn't exactly what Kaiser's camp was seeking, but it does provide Kaiser with an increase in salary from his entry-level contract and an opportunity to prove he's worth more while quickly getting to a third contract.

To end last season, Kaiser had his best string of NHL games since turning pro in 2023. After being recalled from the AHL in early March, Kaiser was noticeably more assertive and more involved over his last 22 games of the season. Analytically, he was also one of the Blackhawks' best defensemen during that span. He had a 46.88 Corsi For percentage, was on the ice for 15 goals for and 14 goals against in five-on-five play and produced three goals and two assists during those 22 games. The Blackhawks' on-ice analytics were also favorable with him and Artyom Levshunov as a pairing.

The Blackhawks would love to see Kaiser prove he's capable of playing that way consistently. While he's had positive stretches the last two seasons, he's also been inconsistent and has been assigned to the AHL Rockford IceHogs a few times. With the Blackhawks having several young defensemen in the pipeline and only so many spots to put them in, the Blackhawks want to be sure of a player before committing to them long-term.

Kaiser is expected to receive plenty of ice time to show what he's capable of this season. If he's with Levshunov, that would likely equate to a top-four role. Kaiser will also likely play on the penalty kill. Kaiser also flourished with Anders Sorensen as the interim coach last season, and Sorensen will be in charge of the defensemen this season.

Wyatt Kaiser agrees to 2-year, $3.4 million extension to avoid missing Blackhawks camp