Washington Capitals defenseman Roman Hamrlik is available and being shopped around, according to a report from Renaud P. Lavoie of Canadian outlet RDS.
Hamrlik, who signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the Caps on the first day of free agency last summer, is in the midst of one of the worst seasons of his almost 20-year career, having just two goals and 10 points in 55 games, though he does have a team-high 119 blocked shots. Hamrlik is apparently unhappy in Washington, according to Lavoie (translated from French via Google Translate):
Roman Hamrlik had enough of Washington and would like to play elsewhere. To be honest, nothing is easy in this team now and it weighs heavily on the shoulders of several players.
Hamrlik has been offered a few teams, but the Capitals are very demanding [in terms of what they want in return for Hamrlik].
Coincidentally, Roman Hamrlik will be a healthy scratch Wednesday when the Caps face the Ottawa Senators.
"You want him to be a defensive defenseman," head coach Dale Hunter said of Hamrlik to reporters Wednesday after the team's morning skate. "He's giving up too many chances, so he's out of the lineup. Giving up too many scoring chances; he took a bad penalty last game, so we're going to put someone else in."
Perhaps one team that could have interest in Hamrlik's services is the St. Louis Blues, which has had team officials at Washington's games recently. As a barometer of what the Caps might expect if they do decide to trade Hamrlik, Hamrlik's former Montreal Canadiens teammate and fellow veteran defenseman Hal Gill was traded to the Nashville Predators February 17 in exchange for a second-round draft pick and two prospects.
The NHL trade deadline is this coming Monday, February 27, at 3 p.m. EST.
UPDATE: Hamrlik's agent, Petr Svboda, has told The Washington Times' Stephen Whyno that he has not yet requested a trade.