Yahoo Sports Lightning Made Incredible Move Trading For Star
The Tampa Bay Lightning are once again having a strong season. At the time of this writing, they have a 22-15-2 record and are third in the Atlantic Division standings. They have also played fewer games than each of their division rivals, so they are in a good place right now.
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Brandon Hagel's marvelous play has been a significant reason for the Lightning's success this season. After scoring 26 goals and setting new career highs with 49 assists and 75 points last season, he has hit another level this campaign. In 39 games, he already has 19 goals, 45 points, and a plus-15 rating.
Hagel seems to only get better each season and continues proving that the Lightning trading for him was an incredible move.
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During the 2021-22 season, the Lightning traded two first-round picks, Taylor Raddysh, and Boris Katchouk to the Chicago Blackhawks to land Hagel. While this was not a cheap price for the Bolts to pay at the time, it has become a bargain, given how much Hagel has improved since joining Tampa Bay.
Hagel, 26, will also be with the Lightning for a long time, as he is currently in the first season of his eight-year, $52 million contract. That contract already looks like a real steal for Tampa.
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