Flames' Nikita Zadorov avoids arbitration, signs 1-year deal

Restricted free agent defenseman Nikita Zadorov avoided arbitration after signing a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Calgary Flames on Friday.

Zadorov had a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Thursday. He played the past two seasons on identical one-year, $3.2 million deals.

The 26-year-old Russian was acquired by the Flames in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 28 in exchange for a third-round p