We’re finally getting around to reviewing the 2022-23 season. Instead of assigning grades or any of that nonsense, we’ll start by looking at the player’s best goal from the season and go from there. For some it’ll be easy, others have way more to choose from.
Player
Brandon Hagel
Stat Line
81 games played, 30 goals, 34 assists, 178 shots, 27.5 ixG, 54 PIMs, 68 hits, 189 hits taken, 18:38 TOI
(Playoffs) 6 games played, 1 goal, 4 assists, 15 shots, 1.27 iXG, 0 PIMs, 15 hits, 20 hits taken, 21:00 TOI
Goal of the Year Video(s)
For the 30-goal scorer, I couldn’t just pick one! So I made a ranking of my top 5 Hagel goals of the year and I’ll talk about #1 in depth at the end.
#5
Hagel spins off his defender at the defensive blue line, uses his speed to make a gap so McLeod can only challenge the pass, and shoots to score and give the Lightning the lead over the Devils.
#4
Hands in the blue paint. Footwork from static position. Style. All of these things are why Hagel is such a prolific scorer from rebounds.
#3
Against the Leafs in the playoffs, Hagel fought a rebound battle and won the puck in the high slot, fought to point his nose to the net, fought his way to the net, and was rewarded with a secondary opportunity. Hagel was one of the play-drivers for the Lightning in that playoff series, and by driving play I don’t mean zone transitions, but fighting harder than the other guy to create chances.
#2
This goal doesn’t provide a lens into any hidden skills or talents Hagel provides other than being a bleeping top notch wingman for Point and Kucherov. Fast skating, awareness of space, and prime offensive instincts. What a player. What a line.
#1
Probably the biggest effort goal from Hagel this season where he out-skates two opponents to the boards and back into open ice, evades some cheeky stick checks, and rips a shot across the bow for the shorthanded goal. Love it.
How did the 2022-23 season go for them?
All signs pointed to this kind of season from Hagel. Scored 20-something in Chicago and showed all the plus offensive skills you want to see in a top-six forward (speed, hands, footwork, awareness of space, effort). He fit in like a glove with Kucherov and Point as the second shooting threat and the guy who can confidently complete the swaps of position and be in the right spots for passes or rebounds. It just worked, and 111 goals from the trio is proof of that.
The vast majority of Hagel’s goals this year came from rebounds either in front of the net or at the side of the net (a space particularly difficult for goalies to cover and for defenders to monitor). He had a handful of empty-net goals to pad the stats, though all but one needed some hard work to become a goal
2023-24 Contract Status
The Lightning are fortunate to have Hagel at his old contract number for one more year because it keeps him vastly underpaid for the amount of value he brings to the table. Comparables like Michael Bunting got paid into the fives this summer and last. That rent will come due next summer when Hagel becomes an RFA. How Stamkos’ extension negotiations go (does he pull a Bergeron or Kopitar?) will dictate whether Hagel stays or not. Plus as the cap goes up maybe they can finally get that McDonagh replacement we’ve been waiting years for.
Do we expect them to score more or less next season?
Hard to see why this train won’t keep rolling into next season. As the Lightning have lost talent over the years, they’ve gone from being the deepest offense in the league to a one-line wrecking ball. The first line has compensated for the second line and below and it’s all thanks to Hagel and his two superstar linemates. Without Hagel, forcing to compromise on where Stamkos plays, the constant struggle to find a winger for the first line, and so on.
Maybe the time will come when the Lightning have to find “the next” Brandon Hagel, like when they found him after losing Ondřej Palat, but it doesn’t need to happen just yet.
In the meantime, let’s eat some bagels!
