Blackhawks trade Bickell, Teravainen to Hurricanes for 2 draft picks

The Chicago Blackhawks finally shed Bryan Bickell's contract, though it came at a considerable cost.

Bickell and talented young forward Teuvo Teravainen were dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday in exchange for a second-round draft selection in 2016 and a third-round pick in 2017.

The Blackhawks had been exploring opportunities to move Bickell and his eyesore of a contract since not long after he inked his four-year, $16-million extension for a breakout performance in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Bickell racked up just 45 points in three seasons since signing the deal and spent the majority of last season in the American Hockey League, gobbling up a significant portion of the Blackhawks' cap.

Losing Teravainen is no minor consequence, but the 21-year-old Finn didn't catch on with the club's top six as quickly as many anticipated. He contributed 13 goals and 35 points in his first full season in Chicago's top nine.

Carolina maintains six picks in the first three rounds of this upcoming draft, three in the first two rounds in 2017, and has only about $45 million tied up in player contracts for this upcoming season.