Hagel signs 8-year, $52 million contract with Lightning

Brandon Hagel signed an eight-year, $52 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $6.5 million and begins next season, running through 2031-32.

The 24-year-old forward had NHL career highs in goals (30), assists (34), points (64), power-play points (13), shots on goal (178) and average ice time per game (18:39) last season, and ranked second in the NHL in takeaways (92; Mitchell Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs, 104).

"You go through a season like this and a lot of things are going on in your mind," Hagel said Tuesday. "You'd be crazy if you said you never thought about the deal during the year. I'm grateful we were able to get it done now. Now we can move on and worry about winning and getting the team to the next level.

"I felt comfortable. I love the guys here. I love the core that they have for the [future]. I want to jump on that core. I want to win a lot and this is the place to do it. And I'm living in Tampa, so I can't complain."

Hagel is entering the final season of a three-year, $4.5 million contract ($1.5 million AAV) he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on Aug. 6, 2021, and could have become a restricted free agent after the season.

Hagel said one big reason he decided to commit to Tampa Bay was center Anthony Cirelli and defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak each signing an eight-year contract to stay with the Lightning on July 12. In addition, forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Nicholas Paul, and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy each is signed through at least the 2026-27 season.

"We have a winning culture here and want to keep it that way," Hagel said. "A lot of those guys that are locked up, have Stanley Cups, they have rings. I'm still going to learn from those guys. Those guys have done it at the next level, they won Stanley Cups two straight years. There are guys on our core that I want to learn from and they will make me a better hockey player.

"I'm just grateful I get to play the next eight years … I guess nine years, with these guys."

Hagel had five points (one goal, four assists) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games last season, and said he is looking to provide continued production playing on a line with Kucherov (113 points; 30 goals, 83 assists in 82 games last season, tied for third in the NHL) and Point (95 points; 51 goals, 44 assists in 82 games).

"I think that's a big part of my contract too," Hagel said. "Do I see myself every single year putting up these crazy numbers? Great if that does happen. But at the same time I know I can go out there right now and shut down top lines, play that type of role and feel good about that role too. But I know I can also go out there and play with those skilled guys."

Hagel said he believes the Lightning have what it takes to make another Stanley Cup run after reaching the Cup Final for three straight seasons, winning back to back in 2020 and 2021 and losing in the 2022 Final to the Colorado Avalanche.

"Really confident," he said. "Look what 'Stammer' (forward Steven Stamkos, who had 84 points with 34 goals and 50 assists in 84 games last season at the age of 32) is still doing, it's incredible. And you've got guys four, five, six, seven years younger than Stammer. I know Stammer is at that other level and he's done things that no one else in the League has ever done. That's why he's going to the Hall of Fame. Every year you see guys getting better. 'Pointer' scored 50 last year, he just keeps getting better. 'Kuch', 'Vasy', 'Sergy,' ... just go down the line, these guys are just getting better. I couldn't be more excited about the future and where we are right now."

Hagel was acquired by the Lightning in a trade with the Blackhawks on March 18, 2022, with a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, for forwards Boris Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh, and two conditional first-round picks.

Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round (No. 159) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Hagel has 132 points (64 goals, 68 assists) in 211 regular-season games for the Lightning and Blackhawks, and 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 29 playoff games.

NHL.com independent correspondent Corey Long contributed to this report