Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Brandon Hagel remains a storyline in the Panthers-Lightning chess match, but the Lightning winger will stay sidelined for now.
Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Friday that Hagel will not play against Florida, calling the forward «day to day» and emphasizing that he's close, but not quite ready to return. Hagel had been on the ice for morning skate earlier in the day, sparking speculation he might rejoin the lineup for the Atlantic Division showdown.
Instead, the rivalry moves forward without one of its most polarizing figures.
Hagel has been out since the last meeting between these teams, a game that once again reinforced how personal this matchup has become. His late hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov during last season's playoffs still looms large, having helped define the bitterness between the two clubs.
Earlier this season, that tension resurfaced when Hagel exited a game against Florida after taking a heavy hit from Seth Jones. The play drew no penalty and no supplemental discipline, but it added fuel to a rivalry that rarely needs encouragement.
With Hagel unavailable again, Tampa Bay will be without one of its most abrasive, high-energy forwards - a player who often agitates Florida's bench as much as he pressures opposing defenses. His absence could slightly cool the temperature on the ice, but history suggests that Panthers-Lightning games don't need a single player to boil over.
From Florida's perspective, the focus remains on stacking points. The Panthers trail Tampa Bay by just a single point in the Atlantic Division standings, making every divisional matchup feel like a playoff preview.
Hagel may be getting close, but he won't factor into this chapter. That doesn't mean the rivalry loses its bite - only that it pauses one storyline while waiting for the next flashpoint.