The Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks kicked off the 2016 offseason with a trade today. The Blackhawks, a team with cap issues and a need to unload Bryan Bickell’s $4 million per year, sent Bickell and skilled youngster Teuvo Teravainen to the Canes in exchange for a 2016 second-round draft pick and a 2017 third-round pick.
The third-round pick that Chicago received was originally theirs, which was sent to Carolina last season in the Kris Versteeg trade.
[NEWS] #Canes acquire Teuvo Teravainen and Bryan Bickell from Chicago. Details: https://t.co/HBuJEHmKjN pic.twitter.com/eCsu0CN0MN
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) June 15, 2016
The Blackhawks have been shopping Bickell for quite some time, including the months leading up to last season’s February 29 trade deadline. They couldn’t find any takers and eventually assigned him to the AHL. He played 47 games in Rockford, scoring 15 goals and 31 total points.
It was imperative that they moved his salary, especially if they plan on signing Andrew Shaw, one of the team’s restricted free agents and a priority this summer. Things are still tight for general manager Stan Bowman but he has given himself some flexibility now. This deal clears approximately $5 million in cap space for Chicago.
Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, as happens in deals to dump salary, they had to forfeit Teravainen in the process. Teravainen, 21, played 78 games for Chicago this season netting 13 goals and 35 total points. And while losing him will be a tough pill to swallow for Chicago and their fans, this move highlights an impressive series of events for Carolina general manager Ron Francis.
The Hurricanes effectively swapped Eric Staal and a 2017 3rd for Teuvo Teravainen, Aleksi Saarela, and a 2017 2nd. Take a bow, Ron Francis.
— Adam Herman (@AdamZHerman) June 15, 2016
Most NHL insiders pegged June as a busy month in the trade world and with the Penguins still enjoying their Stanley Cup parade in Pittsburgh, the Canes and Blackhawks got things started quite early.
