Ex-Maple Leafs defender T.J. Brodie lands surprisingly lucrative deal out West

According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, Brodie has inked a 2-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks worth a surprising $3.75M per season.

The Blackhawks are not going to be a contending team next season, but they are certainly going to take a bit of a step forward after adding Brodie and former Leafs teammate Tyler Bertuzzi to the fold in Chicago.

As far as Brodie's $3.75M AAV goes, he likely wasn't going to get that in a contending market, but for the Blackhawks, the deal makes sense for a few reasons.

First and foremost, Brodie is a veteran defenseman with a lot of experience in the league that he can pass on to the younger guys in the locker room.

Secondly, the Hawks have an abundance of cap space and they aren't going to sweat overpaying Brodie, given what he can provide to their team in terms of guidance.

Finally, even with how far his game had fallen off in Toronto, he still has some gas left in the tank and can give the Blackhawks some quality minutes - perhaps even challenge Seth Jones for the lead in ice time on the team this season. This will allow the young kids coming up to ease into their new roles and not be overplayed during key years in their development.

Best of luck to Brodie in the Windy City.