The Chicago Blackhawks could look into landing top-six winger Rickard Rakell from the Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason. Rakell has been rumored to be on the trade block since the last trade deadline.
The Fourth Period included Rakell in its Summer Trade List as the Penguins are seemingly headed toward a rebuild. While the club doesn’t want to openly admit, at least not with Sidney Crosby still on the team, the Pens’ fire sale this past season signals otherwise.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks could be looking to turn the corner in their rebuild. The club has stocked up on plenty of future stars, but lacks enough scoring now to propel Connor Bedard and the club out of the Central Division cellar.
So, adding Rakell to the fold could give the Blackhawks a solid top-six forward to boost scoring. Here’s a look at what this trade could look like:
Blackhawks get:
Rickard Rakell, F
Penguins get:
Lukas Reichel, F
Ethan Del Mastro, D
2026 second-round pick
This deal would essentially be a one-for-one deal with Lukas Reichel, a 23-year-old forward, heading to Pittsburgh. Reichel has also been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. The Blackhawks have a surplus of young forwards, especially after taking Anton Frondell in the 2025 NHL Draft.
So, parting with Reichel could help grease the wheels on landing a solid, top-six scorer to complement Bedard or play alongside rising star Frank Nazar. Del Mastro is a promising blue liner who could add value to the Penguins’ impending rebuild.
The second-rounder is a sweetener to get the deal done. The Blackhawks have three, so they could spare one to get the wheels turning.
Adding Rakell Gives the Blackhawks More Flexibility
The Blackhawks have taken steps to boost their scoring this offseason. The team added Andre Burakovsky, hoping he can bounce back next season. However, Burakovsky is a question mark and does not immediately solve the Blackhawks’ scoring woes.
Rakell does that. He can deliver upwards of 30 goals with enough playing time. Plus, he allows the Blackhawks to mix and match lines based on needs. Rakell could slide up and down the top six without missing a beat.
Initially, Rakell could play with Bedard and perhaps Tyler Bertuzzi on the top unit. If needed, he could slide down to the second line and play with Nazar and someone like Ryan Donato. The Blackhawks could also stack their top line and deploy Rakell with Donato and Bedard.
That flexibility is something the Blackhawks haven’t had in the last four or five seasons. It gives the team a chance to take some pressure off Bedard, while adding more balance to the power play.
Rakell Comes with Team Control at Affordable Price
The Blackhawks would get Rickard Rakell for the next three seasons at a cap hit of $5 million. The 32-year-old would be a solid addition for the remainder of his contract. The Blackhawks can’t afford to splurge on high-end players just yet.
So, adding someone like Rakell with a reasonable cap hit makes sense at this point. Rakell would hit free agency during his age-35 season. At that point, the Blackhawks could look into re-signing him, depending on where the team is in their rebuild.
Overall, it would be tough for the Blackhawks to pass up an opportunity to add a solid top-six winger on an affordable contract. The team needs scoring and could solve it by bringing Rakell into the fold.
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