Reasoner Heads Back to the Southeast

			2009-2010 NHL Statistics				2011 Cap Info
To Florida	Position	Age	GP	G	A	P	Years	Cap Hit
Marty Reasoner	Forward	33	80	4	13	17	1	$1.15 million
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To Chicago	Position	Age	GP	G	A	P	Years	Cap Hit
Jeff Taffe	Forward	29	21	1	1	2	1	$550,000

The Southeast Division looks to be the perfect dumping grounds for the Chicago Blackhawks, using the Atlanta Thrashers to move some players and now using the Florida Panthers to move a previously acquired forward back to the division he came from.

The Blackhawks have dealt Marty Reasoner to the Panthers for minor-league forward Jeff Taffe on Thursday, thus moving some more salary cap space for a player that will likely count minimally against the cap in 2011.  Since Reasoner had not played a game with the team yet, he was likely one of the easier players to move, especially for the cheap price of Taffe.  Of course, there is a chance that Taffe makes the Blackhawks team out of training camp, more in the sense of cheap depth more than actual skill.  He is old enough to have some veteran savvy, but not enough games in his NHL career to call it experience.

As of today, this trade strictly moves Reasoner's cap hit off the Blackhawks' books and onto Florida's. Taffe will be added on, only if he makes it onto the team in September, which to me seems like a bit of a longshot. That being said, I have a current player total of 15 players on the Blackhawks roster and bonus penalties tacked on for a cap hit of $58 million. Lots can change from here on in. The Panthers on the other hand, have 18 players signed on for $45.7 million.