Blackhawks trade Byfuglien to Thrashers
Thursday, June 24th, 2010The Chicago Blackhawks made a blockbuster trade with the Thrashers on Wednesday, the Stanley Cup champions moving Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel and a prospect to Atlanta for a first-round pick, a second-round pick, prospect Jeremy Morin and veteran forward Marty Reasoner, a source told ESPN.com.
The first- and second-round picks that Chicago gets in the deal were acquired by Atlanta in the trade that sent Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey last February.
The prospect Atlanta is getting from Chicago is Akim Aliu.
The Blackhawks have not confirmed the trade. The trade was being delayed Wednesday night because it would move the Thrashers above the accepted limit of 50 player contracts, a league source told ESPN.com. Until Atlanta moved other contracts to get under the limit, the trade can’t go through. But it is expected to happen.
“It is what it is,” Byfuglien said on “The Afternoon Saloon” on ESPN 1000. “It’s part of the job. You’re not going to stick in one spot the whole time so I’ve got to go.”
After winning their first Stanley Cup since 1961, the Blackhawks were in dire need of shedding salary as new contract extensions for Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane (five years, $31.5 million each) and Duncan Keith (13 years, $72 million) next season put them in a major salary-cap crunch. (more…)
