The Lightning have signed forward Brandon Hagel to an eight year contract worth $52 million overall, at an average annual value of $6.5 million per season. Hagel is currently in the last year of a three-year, $4.5 million deal ($1.5M AAV)
Hagel put up 30 goals and 34 assists for 64 points in 81 games for the Lightning in his first full season in Tampa, replacing Ondrej Palat on the top line and providing similar offensive production while also recording 92 takeaways, a franchise record.
Hagel was originally acquired by the Lightning during the 2022 trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, a 2023 first round pick, and a 2024 first round pick. In his abbreviated first season in Tampa, Hagel put up four goals and three assists for seven points in 22 games. For many, this was seen as a disappointment, considering a goal put up 21 goals in Chicago, that same year, and the production wasn’t worth with a Lightning had given up to get him. He would put up two goals and four assists for six points in 23 games in the 2022 playoffs, helping the Lightning reach the Stanley Cup final for the third consecutive season.
With the signing of Hagel, the Lightning currently have $74.94 million locked up in their 2024-25 roster, which consists of 16 players. With the cap expected to rise to $87.5 million in 2024-25, this would give the Lightning around $12.56 million in cap space to sign the remaining 6-7 players on the roster. The biggest name left unsigned for that season is captain Steven Stamkos, who will be an unrestricted free agent coming off an eight-year, $68M contract ($8.5 AAV).
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