July 02--On Monday, most Blackhawks fans in Chicago likely never heard of Artem Anisimov, the big-bodied center from the Blue Jackets who has played in the league since 2009.
Now, they better become fast friends.
A day after acquiring Anisimov in the seven-player deal that sent promising young winger Brandon Saad to the Blue Jackets, the Hawks inked Anisimov, 27, to a five-year extension through the 2021 season.
Anisimov, who was entering the final year of a three-year contract this season, is expected to carry a salary-cap hit of $4.55 million when the extension takes effect in 2016-17. His cap hit for next season is $3.283 million.
"It's a very good team, very good, talented players," Anisimov said of the Hawks. "They play the game so well. The past six years, three Stanley Cups, it's very good. I'm really excited."
Anisimov will head a veritable Red Army of Russian players in the sea of red at the United Center considering the Hawks have inked Russian forward Artemi Panarin to a two-year deal and forward Viktor Tikhonov to a one-year deal, the Tribune confirmed.
Anisimov played for his hometown team of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL after the Rangers drafted him in 2006. On Sept. 7, 2011, when Anisimov was with the Rangers, a plane carrying players, coaches and staff members of Yaroslavl crashed upon takeoff, killing 37 passengers on board and decimating the organization, which then took a year off from the KHL.
"I know these people, half the team," Anisimov told the New York Daily News at the time. "Young guys, we've grown up together, you know?"
The NHL's lockout shortened-season turned into an opportunity for Anisimov to help his hometown of Yaroslavl. During the lockout, Anisimov played for Lokomotiv as the team tried to move on from the crash.
"It was tough in the hockey world," Anisimov said Wednesday. "They were the hometown team when I grew up. The lockout happened and the team offered me (a chance) to play and I accepted and helped rebuild the team. It was difficult playing in the arena. I cannot explain it. It was different."
When Anisimov returned to the NHL, he began his three-season tenure with the Blue Jackets that was marred last season when he was sidelined with a concussion and torn triceps. He finished with seven goals and 20 assists in 52 games.
Hawks general manager Stan Bowman says he has wanted Anisimov for years. He believes Anisimov is the right player to fill a need for the Hawks, who had three centers from last season hit free agency. Brad Richards and Antoine Vermette are unrestricted free agents and the team continues to work on a deal with restricted free agent Marcus Kruger.
"I talked a long time about our desire to find a big centerman. There are very few of them in the NHL," Bowman said. "You just look around to 30 teams and to be able to get a guy in the prime of his career at 6-foot-4 who can do a little bit of everything, it's someone we've been chasing for a long time and we were finally able to acquire him. ...
"I look at our combination now of (Jonathan) Toews and Anisimov and I feel very comfortable knowing we have a strong 1-2 punch."
And it could be that way for a while.
chine@tribpub.com
