NHL Player Safety takes action after calls for punishment.
The NHL’s Player Safety department has taken action against Brandon Hagel, a forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning, for what he did during a game on Sunday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
In an official statement, the Player Safety department said that they have fined Hagel $5,000, which is the largest amount they can give according to the rules, for being the main fighter in a confrontation with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for serving as the aggressor in an altercation with Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 9, 2026
Describing Hagel as the instigator in this situation is a fair statement because the experienced player hit Dahlin from behind with a lot of punches. Many people thought he should have been kicked out of the game for his behavior. Even after Dahlin was down on the ice, Hagel kept hitting him, which led to a bigger fight between both teams.
Others, including reporter Josh Yohe from the Pittsburgh Penguins, suggested that Hagel should get a long suspension for what he did.
Should be a multiple game suspension. How did he not get ejected?
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) March 9, 2026
However, the league disagreed and just fined Hagel, an amount that probably won’t matter much for a player with an 8-year contract worth $6.5 million each year. But if Hagel gets in trouble with Player Safety again in the next 18 months, he will be seen as a repeat offender.
Did they make the right choice? Share your opinions in the comments.
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