Report: Blackhawks Agree To Deal With Defenseman Michal Kempny

(CBS) The Blackhawks have agreed to a deal with defenseman Michal Kempny, according to ESPN.com's Craig Custance. It wasn't immediately clear how long the deal was for or what the terms were.

The 25-year-old Kempny just finished representing the Czech Republic in the IIHF World Hockey Championship. He's expected to challenge for a regular spot on the blue line behind Chicago's top defensemen, as he will figure into the mix alongside the likes of Viktor Svedberg, David Rundblad, Erik Gustafsson and Ville Pokka. The Blackhawks top four defenseman currently are Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk, but they lacked depth at the position in a 2015-'16 season that saw them exit in the first round of the playoffs.

Kempny had 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 59 games for Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia last season. He'd previously played in a league in Czech Republic before he was in the KHL.

The Athletic's Scott Powers first reported that the Blackhawks and Kempny were nearing a deal.