The Blackhawks signed another Brandon on Tuesday, this time it’s Brandon Hagel to a three-year entry-level contract worth $925,000 per year.
Hagel ranks third in the WHL with 12 goals and 28 points for Red Deer this season. The 20-year-old will remain with the Rebels throughout the 2018-19 campaign.
The Sabres drafted the 6-foot-1, 174-pound left winger in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL draft, but lost his draft rights in June after not signing him. Hagel has 205 points (74 goals, 131 assists) in 208 regular-season games, and 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 29 career playoff games for Red Deer in the past four seasons.
Hagel is the third Brandon to sign with the Blackhawks this year. Brandon Manning inked a two-year deal in July, and Brandon Davidson signed a one-year contract after joining the team on a professional tryout for the preseason.
With the signing of Hagel, the Blackhawks now have seven prospects playing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. The others are defensemen Nicolas Beaudin (QMJHL Drummondville), Adam Boqvist (OHL London) and Jake Ryczek (Halifax); forwards McKenzie Entwistle (OHL Hamilton) and Philipp Kurashev (QMJHL Quebec); and goaltender Alexis Gravel (Halifax).