On Friday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks reportedly agreed on a new three-year contract for forward Bryan Bickell.

Listed at 6’4 and 225 pounds, Bickell will be one of the young power forwards fighting to replace Dustin Byfuglien on the Hawks’ roster this season. In 23 career NHL games, the 24-year-old has five goals and one assist.

With a number of forwards and Brian Campbell hurt at the beginning of the 2010 postseason, Bickell dressed for four games and had an assist while skating with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in the Nashville series.

Late Thursday the Blackhawks agreed to terms with center Evan Brophey on a two-way contract. The deal has a base salary of $500k, and is only one year in length, according to CapGeek.com.

Brophey was selected in the third round (68th overall) by the Blackhawks in the 2005 draft. He is listed at 6’1 and 205 pounds and has spent the past three seasons in Rockford, where he scored 14 goals and added 17 assists in 79 games for the IceHogs last year. He will turn 24 in December.

In the wake of Thursday’s trade of veteran Marty Reasoner to Florida, Brophey joins a group of young prospects trying to win a spot on the Hawks fourth line in 2010-11. Given his cap number, a strong camp might get Brophey a shot at Chicago this fall.

The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Thursday afternoon that they had dealt veteran forward Marty Reasoner, acquired from Atlanta in the deal that sent Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Dustin Byfuglien to the Thrashers, to the Florida Panthers for center Jeff Taffe.

Taffe (pronounced TAYFE) is 29 years old, and was originally the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 draft, selected by the St. Louis Blues. He spent most of last season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, where he accumulated 56 points (28G, 28A) in 61 regular season games, and added seven points (G, 6A) in seven postseason games.

He is listed at 6’3 and 215 pounds, and has 44 points (21 G, 23 A) and 40 PIM in 174 career NHL games with the Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers.

Most importantly, Taffe has a $550k cap number, saving the Blackhawks $600k against the cap in 2010-11.

According to CapGeek.com, the Blackhawks have agreed in principle to a two-year, entry-level deal with 2006 second round pick Igor Makarov. The deal reportedly comes with a $552,500 cap number.

Makarov, 23, is listed at 6’1 and 185 pounds and possesses a great combination of speed, versatility and energy according to scouts. Most analysis indicates that he’s a smart forward with good puck-handling skills and plays a good two-way game while not being limited because of a slight size disadvantage.

Dustin Byfuglien's trade value is at it's peak this offseason.  That coupled with cap restraints of the Chicago Blackhawks seem to have escalated into a perfect storm for a trade.

TSN.com is reporting that the Blackhawks are finalizing an 8-player deal that would send Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Akim Aliu to Atlanta in exchange for Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin, and two selections in the 2010 NHL Draft (No. 24 and No. 54).