The Basics
Name: Brandon Hagel
Position: Forward
Counting Stats: 82 Games, 26 Goals, 49 Assists, 19:15 TOI
Extra Stats (5v5): 53.33 CF%, 52.18 SF%, 49.24 GF%, 53.87 xGF%, 54.63 HDCF%, .882 On-ice Save Percentage, 17.1 iXG
2023-24 Contract: Final season of a 3-year deal with an AAV of $1.5 million
Contract Status: The first year of an 8-year, $52 million deal with an AAV of $6.5 million
The Charts
The Review
In a season that saw Nikita Kucherov record 144 points, Brayden Point hitting the 90-point mark, and Steven Stamkos popped in 40 goals, Brandon Hagel may have had the most complete season out of any player on the roster. In fact, if it wasn’t for Kucherov going full beast mode, Hagel’s case for team MVP would be pretty strong. The 25-year-old set career highs in assists, points, games played, and shot attempts.
Most importantly, on a team where the majority of forwards struggled with defense the same way we struggled with calculus in high school, Hagel was able to provide offense without sacrificing defensive play. Not only was he strong at 5v5 play, he was one of the team’s best penalty killers. Offense isn’t something forwards normally generate shorthanded, but Hagel led all forwards with a 5.81 expected goals for while killing penalties. His aggression at the blue line and his forechecking skills made him especially dangerous even when the Bolts were down a player.
The finish was really nice, but Hagel started the play in his own zone by pressuring the puck carrier and forcing a weak pass along the boards that he gathered up and took the other way. One of his best traits is that he doesn’t slow down when he has the puck on his stick. NHL Edge stats have him in the 84th percentile in regards to his top speed, but 89th in 20-22 MPH and 22+ MPH bursts.
While his goal scoring dipped a bit (from 30 goals to 26) much of that was due to a decreased role on the power play. At even strength he greatly improved his scoring (2 more goals and 16 more assists) for a team that desperately needed it. His success isn’t complicated, he just gets to dangerous areas of the ice and puts the puck behind the goaltender.
For a top line player, he works really, really hard in his own zone. As you can see from the isolated impact visual, he does an excellent job of suppressing shots on his side of the ice. He never really stops moving and is constantly disrupting passing lanes and shot attempts.
Could he push the 40 goal mark this season? It will likely depend on his role on the power play. If he sees a little more time on the top line he could get close. Chances are he’s going to have a similar role at 5v5, probably starting on the second line with Anthony Cirelli and whoever wins the spot on the right wing. If the offense needs a boost, or the top line is giving up a few too many chances against, he’ll probably pop up with Brayden Point and Kucherov for a few games.
He’s officially in the prime of his career now and should continue to be a catalyst for the offense on the ice.
Previous Reviews
