Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel has made a name for himself the past few years, but when he arrived in Tampa back in 2022, he was stepping into a group where he barely knew anyone.
Hagel joined a Lightning team that had just won back-to-back Stanley Cups and was preparing to make a third consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance. As a younger player, he watched the team’s leadership and picked up on the little things — how they carried themselves, how they approached the game and how they motivated the players around them.
Over time, Hagel’s teammates got to know more of his personality, and he naturally got more comfortable being himself.
“I had the opportunity to learn from the Patrick Kanes of the world, the Jonathan Toews of the world, Steven Stamkos. Those are the best captains to ever play this game,” said Hagel.
“I’m very fortunate I had the opportunity to sit back and watch, and then as you get more comfortable and guys get to know your personality, I think it kind of just continues to evolve.”
With some of the team’s leadership departing, Hagel knew there was an opportunity for him to step up. He embraced the role and never looked back. Now, he’s the team’s emotional leader, often saying he would run through a wall for his teammates if it came down to it. In many ways, he already has.
That side of his game was on full display during the Lightning’s first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens. Hagel dropped the gloves, took on a bigger role on the power play and found plenty of ways to get the crowd going at Benchmark International Arena. The series was tight from start to finish.
It was Game 6 at the Bell Centre, and Gage Goncalves scored at 9:03 of overtime to force a Game 7 in Tampa. But it was the shift before that helped make it happen.
“(Gage) made a couple mistakes in that game, and I remember coming back to the bench yelling at him and just holding him accountable because that’s who he is,” said Hagel. “As a guy who wants to learn, he wants to get better. He’s not going to take it personally, and then of course he goes out and scores.”
“Those are the types of guys you want on your team,” Hagel added. “Especially young guys, evolving into eventual leaders of this team.”
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAlongside Hagel and Goncalves was 23-year-old Dominic James, who was in his rookie season. Goncalves remembers the moment well, although he doesn’t think Hagel expected to be on the ice for as long as he was.
“He was yelling at me from down the bench,” said Goncalves. “He was saying, ‘Make the play, make the play, you’ve got it. Make the effing play.’”
“For him to have the confidence in me, that if he sees something I can do to help make it happen, he’ll say it. That was a big reason the puck went in the net that night. I think (Hagel) just wants to win so bad. There are so many guys I look up to, and he's definitely one of them. Just the way he competes every shift, whether it's Game 1, Game 82, or it's Game 7, he's got one mode and it's at 100%.”
For the Lightning, they know this year has to be different. Their regular-season success didn’t carry over into the playoffs last year, ending with another first-round exit. Now, with that experience still fresh in their minds, the team went through one of its most competitive training camps. An inspiring speech from head coach Jon Cooper had many of the players fired up for what’s ahead.
As Hagel has learned during his time in Tampa Bay, how they finish the season will ultimately come down to the players.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to what’s in the dressing room,” said Hagel. “We’ve got the best coaches in the world. Our GM does things for us every single year at the deadline, he tries to make us better, but at the end of the day, it starts with the guys (in here).”
The Lightning will open the 2026-27 season tonight at 7 p.m. against the New York Rangers.
