Blue Jackets trade R.J. Umberger back to Flyers for Scott Hartnell
The Columbus Blue Jackets promised to accommodate R.J. Umberger's trade request, and boy did they deliver.
He is headed back to where his NHL career began as the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to send Scott Hartnell to the Blue Jackets in return for Umberger and a fourth-round pick in next year's draft.
Umberger's departure comes as no surprise, but the return haul does. Hartnell, who agreed to waive his no-movement clause, has embodied the Flyers since coming over from Nashville seven seasons ago.
The Flyers are no stranger to bold moves - having traded Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and James van Riemsdyk over the past three seasons - but the decision to part with Hartnell is likely to precede another as it fails to free up much cap space over the next three seasons.
Hartnell has five years at $4.75 million remaining on his deal, while Umberger will earn $4.6 million for three more seasons.
Neither side will retain any salary, per CBC's Elliotte Friedman.
For more analysis on the deal, theScore's Justin Bourne provides his take here.