The gauntlet is dropped and the rebuild is officially underway, as the Chicago Blackhawks dealt Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday afternoon. In return, the Blackhawks receive two first-round picks and young roster players Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, while two fourth-round picks head to the Lightning along with Hagel.
March‼️ Madness‼️ pic.twitter.com/IJKy9zBgQd
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 18, 2022
The first-round picks could slide to 2025 and 2026 should they fall within the top 10 of either draft, though that is unlikely given the Lightning are perennial Stanley Cup contenders, and adding Hagel furthers that window for the two-time defending champions.
Hagel was having a career year this season for the Blackhawks, having posted 21 goals and 16 assists through 55 games.
Originally a sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, the Blackhawks signed as an unrestricted free agent in 2019.
Katchouk, originally the 44th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Lightning, has tallied two goals and four assists in 38 games with Tampa Bay this season.
Raddysh, a former linemate of Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome with the Erie Otters, was selected 58th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Lightning. He has posted five goals and seven assists in 53 games for Tampa Bay this season.
Needless to say, it is tough to see Hagel, a fan favorite in Chicago, traded, but for the return General Manager Kyle Davidson received, the deal is an absolute no-brainer for a franchise starving for quality future assets. Hagel’s value would likely never have been higher than it was currently, and Davidson taking advantage of that is an extremely encouraging sign moving forward. Davidson has now shown he is not afraid to maximize his assets no matter how tough a decision it is or how the fan base might perceive the move.
Simply put, Davidson recognizing and capitalizing on maximizing his assets is critical to the success of the Blackhawks’ rebuild.
In case you missed last night’s episode of The Rinkcast, our panel broke down a potential Hagel trade and how capitalizing on his high trade value was a must for the Blackhawks. Needless to say, Davidson viewed things the same way in the end.
With many other pieces on the Blackhawks’ roster likely still up for grabs ahead of Monday’s trade deadline, Davidson’s work is just beginning. If the Hagel trade is any indication of things to come, Blackhawks fans have a lot to be excited about this weekend.
| Date | The-Rink Division | Outgoing Player/Pick | Opposite Team | Player/Pick Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/16/2022 |  | Calle Jarnkrok |  | '22 2nd round pick (acquired from FLA), '23 3rd round pick, and a '24 7th round pick |
| 3/18/2022 |  | Brandon Hagel, '22 4th round pick, '24 4th round pick |  | Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, ‘23 1st round pick, ‘24 1st round pick |
| 3/20/2022 | | Mark Giordano (50% salary retained), Colin Blackwell |  | '22 2nd round pick, '23 2nd round pick, and, '24 3rd round pick |
| 3/20/2022 | | Jeremy Lauzon |  | '22 2nd round pick |
| 3/20/2022 | | Mason Appleton |  | '23 4th round pick |
| 3/21/2022 | | Marcus Johansson (50% salary retained) |  | Daniel Sprong, '22 4th round pick, and '23 6th round pick |
| 3/21/2022 | | Marc-Andre Fleury (50% salary retained) |  | Conditional '22 2nd (potential 1st) round pick |
| 3/21/2022 | | Ryan Carpenter | | '24 5th round pick |
| 3/21/2022 | | Future Considerations | | Victor Rask |