Nov 29, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) reacts after scoring a goal in the first period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Lightning’s Brandon Hagel Dominating During Winning Streak

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Tyler Miller | Last updated Nov 30, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Lightning just keep on winning games and adding to their lead in the Atlantic Division. They now sit at 16-7-2 and have totaled 34 points and won their last seven games to close out the month of November. And the major reason they keep winning games is because forward Brandon Hagel keeps scoring goals and finding the back of the net.

Hagel has scored 8 goals and added 4 assists in his last 5 games played for the Lightning and is starting to look like the superstar of the team with no offense to Nikita Kucherov. But Hagel is just doing it all now to keep the Lightning at the top of the standings and helping his team win.

The Lightning have been missing star center Brayden Point their last couple games with an injury, but you would not even notice that with how much Hagel has been producing. In the Lightning's recent win against the New York Rangers, Hagel scored 2 goals against goaltender Igor Shesterkin to help lead his team to a 4-1 win.

Brandon Hagel gets things started for the @TBLightning on #NHLNShowcase Saturday! pic.twitter.com/SsuOwvmo1w
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) November 29, 2025

The way Hagel is producing takes the pressure off of Kucherov and others

When fans tune into a Tampa Bay Lightning game, they are expecting players like Nikita Kucherov, Point, and Jake Guentzel among others to put up points and score goals. But the fact that Hagel has been doing a lot for the Lightning and scoring as much as he has, is really taking the pressure off.

Hagel's recent surge is really helping the other stars of the team figure out that they do not have to do all the hard work to help their team win. Now Hagel should not have to do it all every game for the Lightning, but the fact that he has been producing as much as he has been, says a lot about the player he is turning into this season.

Hagel is that guy that is really showing out for head coach Jon Cooper and the rest of the coaching staff. Hagel can play in the top six of the forward core and can play on the powerplay and also on the penalty kill. Hagel can do it all and is really earning the trust of the coaching staff this season.

If Hagel keeps producing like this, the Lightning will not have to ask Kucherov and Point and Guentzel to do as much every game. Hagel is doing a lot to help take the pressure off his star teammates and it's really saying a lot about the state of the team.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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