Top Lightning Forward Out for Game 5

The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without a top forward in a must-win Game 5 against the Florida Panthers.

Apr 28, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) passes the puck against Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) during the first period in game four of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images / Rich Storry-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without one of their top forwards as they try to fend off the Florida Panthers in their first-round series. Facing a 3-1 series deficit, the Lightning will play Game 5 without top forward Brandon Hagel.

The Lightning's Head Coach Jon Cooper shared the news on the team's off-day in between Games 4 and 5. Hagel was injured after Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad delivered a questionable hit on the forward. Ekblad's forearm and elbow seemed to strike the head and neck area of Hagel, which caused him a reported upper-body injury. The hit forced Hagel out of the remainder of the contest.

Injury Update: Brandon Hagel will not play in Game 5 tomorrow, per Coach Cooper.

— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 29, 2025

Game 5 will be the second game of the series Hagel misses. He was suspended for one game for a hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, forcing him to miss Game 3. Now with a possible concussion, he is unavailable at a crucial moment for the Lightning.

Without Hagel, the hole only gets deeper for Tampa Bay to crawl out of. Hagel's two-way production this year was a career-defining performance. An elite penalty killer, he also eclipsed the 90-point mark for the first time in his career. A large portion of the Lightning's success this season is owed to Hagel and his two-way game.

Which makes replacing him all the more difficult for the Lightning. The team has already been needing more from fellow top winger Nikita Kucherov, and now that burden grows heavier for this year's Art Ross Trophy winner.

The Lightning are one loss away from their season ending. With their backs against the wall, the team will turn to Vezina Trophy finalist and two-time Stanley Cup winner Andrei Vasilevskiy. Aside from allowing six goals in the opening game, the superstar net minder has kept the Lightning in the series. He'll need to steal a game in order to keep his team alive, and give Hagel a chance to return for Game 6 or possibly Game 7.

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