Brandon Hagel: How Tampa Bay's Underrated Star Became a Playoff Performer

If you ever come across a 35-goal scorer with a chip on his shoulder bigger than the state of Florida, just turn around and skate the other way. Brandon Hagel has been a crucial piece of the Tampa Bay Lightning roster for over four years now—a penalty killer and two-way forward who only grew in stature as a member of the Bolts' offensive attack following Steven Stamkos' departure in 2024 and Brayden Point's injury earlier this season.

Last year, Hagel racked up 90 points in a breakout campaign. This season, he set a new career high with 36 goals as the Lightning secured their ninth straight playoff berth. His development since being traded from Chicago symbolizes how Tampa Bay has maintained its winning ways despite salary cap challenges. Now 27, he’s a bargain on a long-term deal while producing superstar numbers—yet still carries himself like a third-line grinder stung by past rejections.

“I’ve been kicked in the head a lot.”

Hagel first made a name for himself internationally when he clashed with Matthew Tkachuk during the 2023 USA-Canada 4 Nations tournament. But if you still didn’t know who he was at the start of the Canadiens-Lightning first-round series, he made himself impossible to ignore.

In Game 1, Hagel scored twice, including the goal that forced overtime in an eventual Lightning loss. In Game 2, he opened the scoring with a long-range shot, then added an assist in the third period on a critical play to keep the puck in the zone before Nikita Kucherov’s equalizer. Between those standout moments in Tampa’s 3-2 overtime win, Hagel completed a Gordie Howe hat trick, further cementing his reputation as the player every Canadiens opponent wants to silence.