'Emotional leader' Brandon Hagel a central figure in Lightning-Canadiens series

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) knocks down Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky (20) during the second period in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

TAMPA — Brandon Hagel endeared himself to the Bell Centre crowd at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off when he pulled on his country’s sweater.

The feisty, relentless forward dropped the gloves with American agitator Matthew Tkachuk off the opening faceoff when Canada took on the United States in a tournament that set the stage for the NHL’s Olympic return.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper said this week he hopes those same fans kept a “soft spot” for his star player. Hagel, meanwhile, knows he can expect a rude reception when they visit the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 on Friday.

“This one’s not going to be the same,” Hagel said with a wide smile. “But I’m excited. What a building to play in.

“It doesn’t even matter that we’re on the away side. You’ve got to embrace an opportunity like that.”

Hagel has emerged as the main character in this punch-filled first-round series between two Atlantic Division rivals.

The 27-year-old from Saskatoon left his fingerprints all over Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime win, scoring, assisting and fighting Game 1 hero Juraj Slafkovsky as the Lightning evened the matchup at one game apiece.

“What can you say about Hags? The kid does everything, man,” said veteran winger Corey Perry. “He’s an emotional leader of our club, and damn, that was a hell of a fight.”

Hagel goaded Slafkovsky, an inexperienced fighter, into a bout and knocked him down with one punch inside a crackling Benchmark International Arena.

The six-foot-two, 186-pound winger then motioned to the Canadiens bench that Slafkovsky — at six-foot-three, 225 pounds — was “too small” and taunted the Slovak winger with a “Night, Night” gesture from the penalty box.

Hagel had already been at the centre of a mean, skirmish-heavy first period from the Lightning, bloodying Canadiens strongman Josh Anderson before skating across the ice with his arms in the air to stoke the crowd.

“After the first U.S. game at 4 Nations, I think everybody in Canada knows who Brandon Hagel is,” Cooper said Monday. “It’s defined what he is, and it’s not that he’s a fighter, but that he is willing to do anything to win, regardless of the task.

“He is one of the major pulses of our team. He is vocal. He’s got everything you want in a player and a skill set to prove it.”

Hagel also scored in the first period with a slap shot — his third goal of the playoffs already — and assisted on Nikita Kucherov’s game-tying goal to become the first player in franchise history with a Gordie Howe hat trick in the playoffs.

“I never really would have expected that,” Hagel said. “Whatever it takes to win, and sometimes it’s going to take fighting, and sometimes it’ll obviously take scoring goals.”

“Everyone in the room knows we’re good when we play with emotion,” he added. “Guys are willing to try and bring everyone into the fight, and that was what I was trying to do. Obviously, it worked.”

Hagel even kills penalties and plays a key role in shutting down the Canadiens’ top line of Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, who’ve yet to generate much at five-on-five this series.

“He’s unbelievable,” linemate Anthony Cirelli said. “His emotion, what he does offensively, what he does defensively. He’s always in the right spots, the plays he makes. He can score goals. He’s really a guy that does everything for us.”

“Hell of a player,” added Kucherov. “We’re lucky to have him.”

Hagel battled his way to becoming an All-Star and Olympian. He was passed over in the Western Hockey League draft, let go by the Buffalo Sabres after they selected him in the sixth round and even overlooked in a tryout with the Canadiens before breaking into the NHL.

That finally happened with Chicago in 2020 before the Lightning sent the Blackhawks a haul of draft picks to acquire him at the 2022 deadline.

His reputation has only grown since. And on Friday, he’ll be public enemy No. 1.

“He’s going to be the bad guy,” Cooper said. “When a year ago he was beloved in that arena.”

Defending Dach

Kirby Dach’s overtime icing and subsequent missed coverage on J.J. Moser’s winner created a stir in Montreal. Coach Martin St. Louis, however, defended his forward a few hours after the game.

“It’s one play. It’s one play,” St. Louis said Wednesday morning on a brief conference call. “I thought (Dach) brought physicality. I’ll re-watch the game, but his intentions, for me the last couple weeks he’s played with a lot compete.”

Close call

Cooper dodged a questionable decision to send fourth-line enforcer Scott Sabourin over the boards with two minutes left in the third period Tuesday. Sabourin followed with a needless hit-from-behind interference on Anderson, but the Lightning killed off the ensuing minor penalty.

“Team plays a little bit bigger when he’s in the lineup, and he just knows his role,” Cooper said of Sabourin. “He’s exceptional on the bench, and for 58 minutes, he kind of held it together.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2026.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press