Ex-Blackhawk Brandon Hagel lands on injured reserve after Seth Jones hit
PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
December 20, 2025 (1:13 PM)
Brandon Hagel is out of action for the Tampa Bay Lightning, landing on injured reserve after a heavy hit by Seth Jones that forced him out of Monday night's game vs. the Florida Panthers and will see him miss at least tonight's matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes and Monday's game against the St. Louis Blues.
The former Chicago Blackhawks forward, now a difference-maker on Tampa Bay's top six, took an elbow to the head from Panthers defenseman Seth Jones in the third period of a 5-2 loss.
Seth Jones receives no discipline for hit on Brandon Hagel
There was no penalty on the play, and Jones is not expected to receive supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Hagel, 27, has been one of the Bolts' most consistent scorers this season with 18 goals and 31 points through 32 games before the injury. His offensive pace placed him third on Tampa Bay's leaderboard behind Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel and made his absence a significant hit to the Lightning's attack.
This isn't the first time Hagel has been on the wrong end of a hard collision with the Panthers, but the timing couldn't be worse for a Lightning club sitting just above .500 and vying for position in the Atlantic Division.
Tampa Bay's record sits at 18-13-3, and losing a key play driver like Hagel stretches the team's depth at a crucial point in the schedule.
With Hagel sidelined through at least the upcoming games, coach Jon Cooper and Tampa Bay will have to shuffle lines and minutes.
The Bolts were already coping with other absences, and now the urgency on secondary scoring and defensive support rises. The contest on Dec 27 in Florida looms as the earliest date Hagel could be eligible to return once the Lightning resume play after the holiday break.
Hagel's injury hits Lightning's scoring punch
There's a ripple of frustration among fans and analysts alike, not just because Hagel is hurt, but because the incident itself sparked debate over how hits to the head are officiated and disciplined in the modern NHL game.
Many around the league noted that the lack of penalty or supplemental discipline on Jones' hit added insult to injury.
Tampa Bay now waits on more clarity about the severity of Hagel's injury, with early reports labeling him day-to-day or heading to IR pending further evaluation.
The Bolts' depth will be tested without one of their core contributors, and the coming weeks could define their mid-season trajectory. sportsnet.ca
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
| POLL |
DECEMBRE 20 | 41 ANSWERS Ex-Blackhawk Brandon Hagel lands on injured reserve after Seth Jones hit Do you think Brandon Hagel will return before January? |
| Yes | 10 | 24.4 % |
| No | 19 | 46.3 % |
| Too soon to tell | 12 | 29.3 % |
| List of polls |