Chicago Blackhawks forward Bryan Bickell has been sent to the AHL. (USATSI)

Three years ago Bryan Bickell was a major contributor to a Stanley Cup winning team when he scored nine goals in 23 playoff games for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was rewarded the following summer with a four-year, $16 million contract extension with the team, and it's pretty much been all downhill for him ever since.

His production has declined, his playing time has been reduced, he's been a healthy scratch, and he was even put on waivers (and went unclaimed) over the summer after the team was unable to find a trade partner for him.

On Monday, the team turned to the only other option it had when it announced that Bickell has been sent to Rockford of the American Hockey League. 

Taking his place on the roster will be Marko Dano, one of the key players the Blackhawks received over the summer in the trade that sent Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dan had seven points (one goal, six assists) in nine games in the AHL this season and had an extremely impressive NHL debut last season with the Blue Jackets when he recorded 21 points in 35 games as a 20-year-old rookie. 

Bickell still has one more year remaining on his contract after this season at a salary cap hit of $4 million. By sending him to the AHL the Blackhawks will only save $950,000 against the cap.

The decision to sign him to that long-term deal was controversial at the time because he had never really proven to be a big-time producer prior to that playoff run, and given the moves the Blackhawks have had to make in recent years due to the salary cap it's proven to be a costly extension.

Including his seven games this season (where he has yet to record a point) Bickell has just 44 points in 146 regular season games since signing that contract.