So while Antti Niemi and the Chicago Blackhawks argue over what he's actually worth and leave it up to an arbitrator to make the final decision - two wayward 'Hawks have avoided putting themselves in that awkward situation.

Head to Windy City South -

The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed restricted free agent forward Ben Eager, according to General Manager Rick Dudley. Per team policy terms of the deal were not disclosed, but according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constituion, Eager will be paid $965,000 next season.--via NHL.com

And there's also this -

Andrew Ladd reportedly has avoided his arbitration hearing, which was scheduled for Thursday, and instead signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Thrashers, according to a tweet from Rogers Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos. The contract reportedly is worth $2.35 million.

Ladd, 24, was traded to Atlanta from the Chicago Blackhawks on July 1 for prospect Ivan Vishnevskiy and a 2011 second-round draft pick. The two-time Stanley Cup champion and former first-round pick had a career-high 17 goals to go along with 21 assists last season.--via NHL.com

Anyone else think that Ladd was older than 24?

Regardless...it's funny that the guys Chicago shipped out to save money aren't putting their new team through the process that Niemi - one of the guys they were saving money for (kinda) - is going through with his arbitration.

What's going to happen to poor Chicago?  No one knows - not even their General Manager.

With the Prospect Camp about a month and a half away - it's nice to look beyond the August 5th/6th "Decision Day" for Mike Modano and know that our wonderfully misguided little Central Division rivals will still be going through the exact problems that we said they would when they started signing guys like Campbell and Huet to mega-dollar deals.

Stay tuned - this CHIdenfreude dance is far from over...

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