NHL

Anton Stralman.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets and defenceman Anton Stralman have agreed on a one-year contract, just minutes before they were to go to arbitration on Wednesday morning.

General manager Scott Howson announced the re-signing.

"We are pleased that we were able to come to a negotiated settlement," Howson said in a release. "We look forward to having Anton back on our blue line this season."

Stralman, who turns 24 on Sunday, had six goals and 28 assists with 37 penalty minutes in 73 games with the Blue Jackets last season, leading club defencemen in assists and points and ranking second in goals and time on ice (20:29).

The native of Tibro, Sweden, was acquired on Sept. 28, 2009, from Calgary for a third-round pick in this summer's draft. He has played in 161 games with the Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs.

He averaged 15:34 minutes of ice time in 38 games with the Leafs in 2008-09, collecting one goal and 12 assists.

Stralman was traded twice last year, going first to Calgary from Toronto, and then onto Columbus. The Leafs had sent Stralman to the Flames along with Colin Stuart and a seventh-round draft pick for forward Wayne Primeau and a second-rounder in next year's draft.