Brandon Hagel returns tonight and it's already a story in Florida

Tampa activated Hagel off injured reserve on Sunday, and it looks like he is trending toward playing against the Montreal Canadiens. The same transaction batch also moved Steven Santini out, and even had Ryan McDonagh landing back on injured reserve.

That timing lands one day after the Lightning survived a full-blown Battle of Florida mess in Sunrise. Saturday's 4-2 game came with 45 penalties, a second-period brawl, and enough box time to turn every shift into a special teams rep.

Hagel has been right in the middle of this rivalry lately, even when he is not trying to be. Sportsnet reported he left the game vs the Panthers earlier this month after head contact, and The Hockey News noted it was the third time in three Panthers meetings he absorbed a hit to the head area.

From a fan's angle, the Sunday return is going to make people wonder if Tampa wanted to avoid tossing him into Saturday's madness, even if the only thing that matters is medical clearance.

On the ice, Hagel is not just a scorer, he is Tampa's pressure valve. He has 18 goals and 31 points in 32 games, with 95 shots and 25 hits, which tells you how often he is involved in the ugly parts too.

Panthers fans also have long memories with Hagel, and for good reason. Last spring he was suspended one playoff game after a hit that injured Aleksander Barkov, a moment that poured gasoline on an already heated series.

If he is truly ready, Sunday is the first step, not the finish line. The next milestone is the next Panthers meeting, because that is where this rivalry always asks the hardest questions.