Brandon Hagel traded to Tampa as Lightning send monster package to Blackhawks
Anthony Scultore
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The speculation is over and the trade is official. Brandon Hagel is heading to Tampa to try and help them three-peat.
The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forward Brandon Hagel from the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday in a trade that includes two other players and four draft picks.
Per reports, Tampa Bay also will receive Chicago’s fourth-round picks in the 2022 and 2024 NHL Drafts. In turn, the Blackhawks will acquire forwards Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk from the Lightning as well as conditional first-round selections in the 2023 and 2024 NHL Drafts.
Rebuilding Blackhawks trade Brandon Hagel
The trade of Hagel is a bit stunning considering back in February sources told The Athletic that the Blackhawks had “no intention” of moving him.
However, thing move fast in the NHL and the Hawks new GM viewed this as way to expedite his rebuild.
“I said a few weeks ago that we are rebuilding, and this is clearly the start of that,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said. “Getting two first-round draft picks as well as two young NHL players helps us kickstart that process in a major way. We know that Brandon Hagel was a fan favorite — our fans loved him for all the reasons we loved him — and we know he will be successful with the Lightning.”
NHL.com
Hagel, 23, has collected 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) in 55 games this season. He has 61 points (30 goals, 31 assists) in 108 career games with the Blackhawks.
Raddysh, 24, has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 53 games in 2021-22.
Katchouk, 23, has six points (two goals, four assists) in 38 games this season.
The move is seen as an overpay, and it is until you consider this was completely cap driven. Tampa paid for the player, but they also paid for his $1.5M AAV for the next two seasons.
–Field Level Media contributed to this report