Tampa Bay Urged for Brandon Hagel’s Injury Revenge From Florida With Game 5 Strategy by Stanley Cup Winner: “Panthers Pay”

The first round of the Eastern Conference matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers had everyone buzzing with excitement. So, there were a lot of predictions going around, and now, after Game 4, the Panthers are sitting pretty with a 3-1 lead. They really need to give it their all in Game 5 if they want to keep their hopes alive for Round 2. But Tampa Bay is already missing their forward Brandon Hagel from the roster. What’s the reason for that?

So, he ended up getting hurt after a pretty rough hit from Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers. Right in the middle of the second period, Hagel was working the puck along the boards when Ekblad came in with an elbow that caught Hagel in the head, and he ended up going down on the ice. Even though the Panthers’ defenseman ended up with a two-game suspension, the real worry is for the Lightning, who are facing one of their toughest challenges in the 2024-25 season.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs getting intense, Chris Pronger, who took home the Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, has some advice for the Lightning. On X, the Hall of Fame defenseman mentioned, “This Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers series is getting very testy. Bolts need to make the Panthers pay for their undisciplined penalties. Simple way to solve the problem. Gotta score on the PP.”

The Stanley Cup champion noted that the series is getting pretty intense, with more physical play and emotions running high, which has led to some undisciplined penalties by the Panthers. Pronger shared his own NHL experience and pointed out that the Lightning really need to take advantage of these chances by stepping up their power play game.

This #gobolts #TimeToHunt series is getting very testy. Bolts need to make the Panthers pay for their undisciplined penalties. Simple way to solve the problem. Gotta score on the PP.

— Chris Pronger (@chrispronger) April 29, 2025

If Tampa Bay can turn those power-play chances into goals, they’ll really be able to take advantage of the Panthers’ mistakes and maybe even change the momentum of the series in their direction. But did you know that the Lightning might be facing another worrying issue during these intense Playoff games?

Potential trouble for Tampa Bay following Brandon Hagel’s injury

Do you know who said that Brandon Hagel won’t be playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5? Just so you know, it was Jon Cooper. The coach mentioned, “He’s not playing tomorrow. There it is, and you know why.” So, there’s this huge rumor going around about Cooper.

Hall of Famer Larry Brooks mentioned that “A fair amount of chatter about Jon Cooper, who signed a one-year extension a year ago to take him through 25-26. One year seems odd… Plugged-in individual has told me not to be surprised if he leaves TB to take over the operation in Utah, owned by close friend Ryan Smith.” Cooper’s been with the Lightning for 12 years, and in that time, he’s guided them to two Stanley Cup wins.

There have definitely been some ups and downs during his time, and with Tampa Bay opting for a short extension with one of their successful coaches, it looks like a door might be opening for new opportunities for Cooper. Brooks talked about how joining the Utah Hockey Club feels like a good fit since it’s owned by his good friend Ryan Smith. If that doesn’t sound familiar, Smith is also the owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz. Having someone close to him at the helm of the team is definitely going to positively influence Utah’s future.

The post Tampa Bay Urged for Brandon Hagel’s Injury Revenge From Florida With Game 5 Strategy by Stanley Cup Winner: “Panthers Pay” appeared first on EssentiallySports.