Blackhawks' Bowman: Trading Bickell helps ability to re-sign Shaw

Stan Bowman is hoping some gained cap space will help the Chicago Blackhawks retain their star pest.

Related: Bickell's camp 'relieved' to finally be traded out of Chicago

The club shipped forwards Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a couple draft picks Wednesday with the prospect of retaining forward Andrew Shaw on their mind.

"This is a step in the right direction," Bowman said of signing Shaw, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. "We certainly had to move Bickell to have some flexibility."

Shaw will become a restricted free agent on July 1, coming off a two-year deal with a cap hit of $2 million.

"Obviously we like what he [Shaw] brings to the table and we’d like to try and make something work," Bowman said, according to CSN Chicago's Tracey Myers.

Shaw collected 14 goals and 34 points in 78 regular season games, but stepped up in the postseason leading the team with four goals and adding two assists in six games.