Can Brandon Hagel keep the Tampa Bay Lightning alive?

THE FIGHT WAS BRIEF, however consequential.

Juraj Slafkovsky had pulled Brandon Hagel away from a scrum close to the Montreal Canadiens‘ web. Hagel went visor-to-visor with the Canadiens winger, and requested him to drop the gloves. Slafkovsky agreed and landed a couple of punches to the again of the Tampa Bay Lightning winger’s helmet. Then Hagel dropped him with a proper hook.

The Lightning followers at Recreation 2 roared, however the struggle wasn’t for them. It was for Hagel’s teammates, taking part in in a 1-1 sport, understanding they had been already down of their collection towards the Canadiens after an extra time loss in Recreation 1.

“Everybody within the room is aware of we’re good once we play with emotion,” Hagel stated. “Guys are prepared to convey everybody into the struggle. That was what I used to be making an attempt to do.”

The Lightning fought again to win Recreation 2. Hagel scored the opening aim of the sport and assisted on a Nikita Kucherov aim. Add within the preventing main, and it was the primary Gordie Howe hat trick in Tampa Bay playoff historical past.

“I by no means actually would have anticipated that, to be sincere,” he stated, smiling. “No matter it takes to win. Generally it takes preventing. It is clearly going to take scoring targets.”

In 5 video games, Hagel has six targets and an help for the Lightning towards Montreal. However Hagel didn’t generate a degree of their Recreation 5 loss, which put Tampa Bay down 3-2 within the collection and getting ready to elimination in Friday evening’s showdown at Bell Centre (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Hagel known as his group’s effort “unhappy, to be sincere” in failing to win at residence.

“I feel everybody, personally, when Recreation 6 is over, this group will be taught lots about themselves,” he stated. “There’s not rather more to say. I feel it’s going to present lots about our group and lots about who we’re as individuals.”

This isn’t the identical Brandon Hagel that arrived in 2022 from the Chicago Blackhawks, though it is the Brandon Hagel that the Lightning hoped he might turn into after they shocked the NHL by flipping two first-round picks and two players for him.

“He simply does all of it. He is a 200-foot participant, performs on either side of the puck. And he is clearly the most well liked man within the league proper now,” Lightning winger Jake Guentzel stated.

He has additionally been one of the vital invaluable gamers within the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. Hagel’s teammates consult with him as “the heartbeat” of the Lightning, from his clutch play to his physicality to his more and more vocal management.

“He is the straw that is been stirring us,” stated coach Jon Cooper. “He was traded for, on the time, [what] appeared like lots. It most likely would not look like a lot immediately with the way in which he is taking part in.”

How did Hagel discover this subsequent degree in his sport? Across the Lightning, they consider {that a} pair of worldwide tournaments created the present model.

IN APRIL 2024, the Lightning had been rolled in 5 video games by the Florida Panthers within the first spherical, together with digging themselves an 0-3 gap towards the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Hagel had 5 factors within the collection however went scoreless of their losses in Video games 2 and three and completed with a minus-5.

“We had possibilities to capitalize. We did not,” Hagel stated after the collection.

Hagel had been taking part in by an harm. He might have known as it a season, however there was a standing invitation from Hockey Canada to affix its group on the IIHF world championships in Czechia. Although it wasn’t a memorable event for Canada — dropping within the third-place sport to Sweden — it was for Hagel, who had three targets and 4 assists in 10 video games. He performed his approach into the dialog for Workforce Canada for the following two years’ huge occasions: the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Whether or not it was that Workforce Canada carrot or a renewed confidence, Hagel was shot out of a cannon to begin the 2024-25 season with 12 targets and 19 assists in his first 24 video games. He earned a roster spot for the 4 Nations Face-Off, the four-team event introduced by the NHL and NHLPA in February 2025 that may additional change the trajectory of Hagel’s profession.

The USA and Canada met within the preliminary spherical in Montreal, the primary battle between the hockey superpowers in a “best-on-best” event for the reason that 2014 Sochi Olympics. Anticipation was off the charts. Bell Centre was a powder keg. Matthew Tkachuk requested Hagel if he’d wish to set it off after the opening faceoff.

Two seconds into the sport, Hagel and his heated rival from the Panthers threw fists, one among three fights in the first nine seconds between the U.S. and Canada. After they wrestled to the ice, Hagel acquired up and motioned to the group to get on their ft.

“Making an attempt to get some power within the constructing. He requested and I am not backing down from him. It is a very long time coming,” Hagel stated.

However the struggle did not finish there. When Matthew and Brady Tkachuk gained on the spot notoriety for his or her fights, Hagel brazenly questioned their motivations. “What occurred the opposite evening, I did it for the flag and never for the cameras,” he infamously stated.

Hagel performed 4 video games in successful gold at 4 Nations, after which six extra for Canada’s silver medal winners on the Milan-Cortina Olympics, getting the possibility to watch how gamers like Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon function behind the scenes.

Hagel was 23 years previous when he was acquired by the Lightning in March 2022, making him one of many youngest gamers on a veteran-laden roster that featured leaders like captain Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Alex Killorn and Pat Maroon.

“We had a distinct group when he got here. Not essentially older, however a whole lot of established gamers. Loads of guys that had received on the 2020 and 2021 groups,” Cooper recalled.

“Hages did not are available weapons a’blazing. He got here in and located his approach. The place’s my area of interest? Let me see what I can do. After which he slowly began elevating his play. He was forcing my hand to play him extra and in all conditions. That is what you wished from a participant.”

Regularly, the veterans from that group moved on, due to attrition and the wage cap. The largest change got here in 2024 when Stamkos and the Lightning cut up, with the franchise’s all-time targets chief signing in Nashville.

The group wanted extra vocal management. Hagel’s voice grew louder.

“He might not put on a letter now, however finally he will,” Cooper stated. “There are particular guys which have that trait and he has it.”

That was by no means extra evident than in Recreation 4 towards Montreal. The Lightning had been down 2-1 within the collection and wanted a lift — particularly with Hedman, their captain, having missed the whole collection for private causes. The Canadiens had a 2-0 lead within the sport. Hagel stood up from the bench. He regarded left, regarded proper and delivered a charming and emphatic message to his teammates.

“Heggy’s a competitor. He is the heartbeat of this group. He sort of introduced us again in there,” defenseman Darren Raddysh stated.

The Lightning would finally rally for the win.

“It is one factor to say it. There are just a few guys that imply it. It’s coming from their coronary heart, their soul,” Cooper stated. “You discuss concerning the development of issues that helped us throughout this sport. I feel that was a giant a part of it.”

DESPITE ALL THE SPEECHES and fights and targets, Hagel’s group continues to be one loss away from seeing its season finish in Recreation 6 at Montreal. Which might imply two very irritating postseasons in a row for the Lightning winger, for various causes.

Tampa Bay misplaced to the Panthers in 5 video games final 12 months, earlier than as soon as once more watching its archrivals raise the Stanley Cup a couple of weeks later. Hagel performed in solely three of these video games. He was suspended for Recreation 3 after what the NHL Division of Participant Security known as “an especially forceful physique examine to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

Cooper stated a part of Hagel’s progress is making an attempt to keep away from these repercussions.

“I feel when he walks a positive line as a result of he’s an emotional participant, and I feel that is what drives him, that is why he has success,” he stated. “However he is actually discovered a technique to preserve it inside the traces.”

Hagel returned for Recreation 4 however performed simply 11 minutes, leaving the sport and the collection after an elbow to the top by Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, which earned Ekblad a two-game suspension. Raddysh stated the Lightning gamers can see how a lot being within the playoff lineup one 12 months later means to Hagel.

“I do know when he was out, he was within the locker room, he was nonetheless giving speeches. He was making an attempt to get the fellows going. He cares and that is what you need in a hockey participant,” Raddysh stated. “So having him taking part in and being a giant a part of our group once more this 12 months is big for us.”

Regardless of being an integral a part of the franchise now, Hagel wasn’t with the Lightning for his or her Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021. His first season noticed the dynasty crumble, due to the Avalanche within the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He is among the many group of Tampa Bay gamers with no Stanley Cup rings.

“There is a push to get a hoop for the fellows that do not have one, and Hagel’s main that cost,” Cooper stated.

By any means crucial.