BRANDON — Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel is coming off the best season of his NHL career with a 35-goal performance as part of a 90-point showing that ended with him being named an NHL second-team all-star.
Hagel, 27, also has emerged as one of the Lightning’s emotional leaders. He doesn’t wear a letter on his jersey, but there’s no question that his passion for winning rubs off on his teammates.
The future is bright for Hagel. He’s in the second year of an eight-year deal that should keep him in a Lightning uniform through the 2032 season. And after helping Canada to gold in last season’s 4 Nations Faceoff, he’s in line to play for Canada and Lightning coach Jon Cooper in the Olympics in Italy in February.
But last season didn’t end the way Hagel wanted it to. After returning from a