Ben Eager led Chicago with 120 penalty minutes last season. (Charles Cherney/Associated Press)

Restricted free agent forward Ben Eager and the Atlanta Thrashers have avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a deal Wednesday, according to team general manager Rick Dudley.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Eager filed for salary arbitration in July and had a hearing set for early August.

The 26-year-old was obtained from Chicago in a trade that included Dustin Byfuglien, Akim Aliu and Brent Sopel.

Eager had seven goals, nine assists and a team-leading 120 penalty minutes in 60 games with the Blackhawks last season. The six-foot-two, 230-pound left-winger also had one goal and two assists during Chicago's Stanley Cup run.

In 255 career NHL games, the Ottawa native has tallied 52 points and recorded 621 penalty minutes.

Eager was a 23rd overall selection of the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.