Hagel traded to Lightning by Blackhawks

Brandon Hagel was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

The Blackhawks received forwards Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and 2024 NHL Draft that are top-10 protected for Hagel, a 23-year-old forward. The Lightning also received a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and the 2024 draft.

"We're adding a 23-year-old player that is super competitive, can play in all situations, can play with all different types of players," Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois said. "We got to see him play a lot last season when Chicago was in our division (the Central Division). We noticed, again, how competitive he is and the consistency in his effort every shift. And obviously we've seen a growth in his play this year and his improved performance. We feel he not only improves our odds of winning a championship this season but for the next two seasons because he's under contract for two more years and the terms of his contract are providing the club with really good value.

"The other benefit of this trade is that we're kind of replenishing the pipeline a little sooner. We get to keep our first-round pick for this upcoming draft and we also add a fourth-round pick in this upcoming draft, so that also provides value to us."

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Hagel has scored 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) in 55 games this season. He has scored 61 points (30 goals, 31 assists) in 108 games over three seasons.

"I'm excited," Hagel said. "Obviously, I haven't been in the League for too long: my first full year last year, then three quarters of the way through this year. So excited to be on this winning team, a team that's done it before, and I'll learn from the older guys as well. I'm new to the League as well as a new team. They have a lot of veteran guys who know how to win, know what it takes to win, so I'm excited to do that. I'm ready to learn from those guys but at the same time I'm ready to show what I've got and be a big part of this organization."

Hagel will make his debut with Tampa Bay (39-15-6) when it hosts the New York Rangers on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ABC, NHL LIVE).

Hagel said Lightning players Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh texted him that they are "happy for me to get there. That was awesome. Making me feel welcome already."

Hagel has two seasons remaining on a three-year, $4.5 million contract ($1.5 million average annual value) he signed with the Blackhawks on Aug. 6, 2021. He can become a restricted free agent after the 2023-24 season.

Hagel signed with the Blackhawks as a free agent Nov. 5, 2018, after he was passed over in the 2018 NHL Draft. He was chosen by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round (No. 159) of the 2016 NHL Draft but never signed.

"Just want to thank the @NHLBlackhawks for a home the last 3 years," Hagel tweeted after the trade. "As well as all of the fans that supported me. I made tons of friends, memories, and they treated me like the first class organization they are! That being said I can't wait to join the @TBLightning."

Katchouk has scored six points (two goals, four assists) in 38 games for the Lightning in his first NHL season. The 23-year-old was selected in the second round (No. 44) of the 2016 draft.

Raddysh has scored 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 53 games this season, his first in the NHL. The 24-year-old was a second-round pick (No. 58) in the 2016 draft from Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, where he was teammates with current Blackhawks forwards Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome.

"I said a few weeks ago that we are rebuilding, and this is clearly the start of that," Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson said. "Getting two first-round draft picks as well as two young NHL players helps us kick-start 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."

The Blackhawks (22-30-9) are seventh in the Central and 17 points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Chicago plays at the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (2 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSN, BSWI, NBCSCH, NHL LIVE).

The conditions surrounding Tampa Bay's protected first-round picks are as follows: Should the 2023 first-round pick be in the top 10, the Lightning will instead transfer their own, unprotected first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Blackhawks. In the event both of the Lightning's 2023 and 2024 picks are in the top 10, then Tampa Bay will transfer its unprotected first-round picks in the 2025 draft and the 2026 NHL Draft to Chicago.

NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers and independent correspondent Corey Long contributed to this report