Update:
Original post, Feb. 27, 8:31 p.m.If you wanted GM Stan Bowman to be aggressive, it certainly sounds like he’s following through. The Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals “have had dialogue” on a trade revolving around forward Patrick Sharp, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.
It’s unclear how far talks have progressed or what kind of return might be sent to Chicago, but this is as strong an indication as we’ve seen regarding a possible Sharp trade. It’s been speculated on in the past given the team’s salary cap situation, though most expected such a big move to wait until the offseason.
However, it appears Bowman is entertaining the possibility of moving Sharp before March 2, and talks with the Capitals are intriguing for a number of reasons. Washington has several young players who could be of interest to the ‘Hawks, and it’s also possible the team is shooting for an even bigger deal involving defenseman Mike Green.
That last idea is probably a long shot, but the fact that a beat writer is reporting on ‘Hawks-Caps talks puts the rumor firmly in the limelight for now. We’ll have more on this as it comes in, but for now, Sharp to D.C. is officially a thing.