Blackhawks send Patrick Sharp to Dallas in 4-player deal

Patrick Sharp will be wearing Dallas Stars green next season.

The deal also sends defensive prospect Stephen Johns to the Stars.

Patrick Sharp was an integral member of the Chicago Blackhawks’ triumphant Stanley Cup title run, but the team chose to part ways with the 33-year-old left-winger Friday evening in a trade with the Dallas Stars. “He will forever be a Blackhawk and we wish him and his family nothing but the best in Dallas and beyond”. With this trade, they are able to shed nearly $6 million to a team that can afford it and finally fit under the salary cap. He signed with the Blackhawks prior to the 2014-15 season after spending four years at Notre Dame. The Blackhawks add a solid two-way player to their blue line in Daley, who had a career-high 16 goals last season.

“Patrick’s track record speaks for itself having won three Stanley Cups, a Calder Cup (in the AHL) and an Olympic gold medal”, Nill said in a team release.

They already parted ways with Brandon Saad and his contract, but there were still tough decisions to make and moving Sharp was all but a foregone conclusion with his $5.9 million cap hit.

Sharp played 679 regular-season games over the past 10 seasons for Chicago, with 511 points (239 goals).

Daley, 31, is fresh off a season in which he recorded career highs in goals (16), assists (22) and points (33) in 68 regular-season games. He kills penalties, forechecks tenaciously and can even chip in some goals (although he may not again match the 17 tallies he produced in 2013-14). He had 70 points (30 goals, 40 assists) over 198 games in his four seasons with the Stars.

“Stephen adds to the young defencemen that we have coming up in our system”, Nill said. In 756 games, all with Dallas, Daley owns 67 goals and 231 points.

Johns, 23, concluded his rookie season with Rockford of the AHL with 21 points (4-17=21) in 51 games played. “He brings an element of size and physicality to our mix and we look forward to him coming in and competing”.

The 29-year-old Garbutt is a Winnipeg native who recorded 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) last season to set a career mark for assists.

The 6-foot-3, 229-pound native of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania was originally selected by Chicago in the second round (60th overall) of the 2010 National Hockey League Draft.

“We want to thank both Trevor and Ryan for their contributions to the Dallas Stars“, said Nill. The strong leadership he displayed both in the locker room and in the North Texas community has created a lasting impact on everyone around him.