Jets' Michael Frolik, Panthers' Jimmy Hayes, Wild's Justin Fontaine avoid arbitration

The arbitration process continues to do what it is designed to do – force a player and team to come together on a new contract.

Forwards Michael Frolik (Winnipeg Jets), Jimmy Hayes (Florida Panthers) and Justin Fontaine (Minnesota Wild) became the latest to avoid arbitration hearings.

The Jets signed Frolik to a one-year deal worth $3.3 million on Tuesday, while Hayes signed a one-year deal at $925,000. Fontaine's two-year deal pays annual salaries of $950,000 and $1.05 million for a $1 million cap hit.

"We intend to re-engage with Winnipeg in January in the hopes of reaching a long-term agreement," said Allan Walsh, Frolik's agent.

Over the past week, Walsh said the two sides had been primarily discussing a five-year deal. Eventually, it was decided to do the one-year deal and agree to negotiate again in six months.

Frolik, 26, played well for the Jets, recording 15 goals and 42 points last season.

"He's kind of a what-you-see-is-you-what-you-get type of guy," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said in a conference call. "He plays with energy, he kills penalties, he's versatile and it really comes back to he's just a tremendous person both on and off the ice."

Hayes, 24, has played in 96 NHL games and has 17 goals and 14 assists. He had 11 goals and seven assists in 55 games for the Panthers.

"We look forward to his continued contributions to our team both on and off the ice," Panthers general manager Dave Tallon said in a statement.

Fontaine, 26, had 13 goals (including a Jan. 9 hat trick) and eight assists in 66 games in his first NHL season. He scored 12 seconds into his first game to set a Wild record for fastest goal to start a game and tie an NHL record for fastest first career goal.

Twenty players filed for arbitration this offseason and three had their teams file, but thus far only St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka's case went to a hearing. That happened because Sobotka already had signed with a team in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League and the Blues filed to maintain their rights to him.

In Frolik's case, the team filed for arbitration, while Hayes and Fontaine filed in their situations.

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