The Tampa Bay Lightning trail the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 3 is crucial for this team as they attempt to climb out of a 2-0 series hole. However, they will need to play Game 3 against the Panthers without star forward Brandon Hagel.

The Lightning star has received a one-game suspension from the NHL, the league's Department of Public Safety announced on Friday night. This suspension comes after the Lightning star delivered a nasty hit on Florida captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2. Barkov left the game and his status is unclear for Game 3.

Some fans certainly did not like this development. Many felt the punishment for the Lightning star was too light, especially given how the league has approached other incidents in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.

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“Joke. You fine a player for tossing a puck towards a former teammate and then suspend someone only one game for very dirty hit that injured their best player. Seems like an easy trade for a lot of teams to make,” one fan wrote on social media.

“Wait… there is so many examples to pull from the regular season that were worse; but weren’t suspensions,” another fan said on Friday night.

Hagel is one of the Lightning's best players. The Lightning star turned in a career-best performance in 2024-25. He scored 35 goals and 90 points for Tampa Bay this past season. However, he has failed to record a point in two playoff games this year.

Losing Hagel for any length of time is certainly a major blow for the Lightning. Especially in a contest with massive implications such as Game 3 against the Panthers in this series. There is no good time for a suspension by any player. However, this could deal a vital blow in the Lightning's season if they lose Game 3 without Hagel in the lineup.