"Not helping the rigged for Florida rumors": NHL fans perplexed by Brandon Hagel's one-game suspension for hit on Aleksander Barkov

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel has received a one-game suspension for his hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Friday.

The incident occurred during the third period of the Lightning’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Panthers. Hagel received a major penalty, while Barkov appeared to be fine but left the game.

Sooner after news of Hagel’s suspension broke, fans voiced their concern on social media.

Meanwhile, other fans voiced their concerns regarding Brandon Hagel’s suspension, stating that it wasn’t severe enough compared to other incidents.

There’s no indication that Brandon Hagel will appeal the suspension. As a result, he’ll sit for Game 3 of the Lightning-Panthers series on Saturday afternoon at Amalie Arena.

DoPS explains Brandon Hagel’s one-game suspension

The DoPS took a deep dive into the reasons behind Brandon Hagel’s one-game suspension. In its explainer video, the DoPS concluded that Hagel committed an interference penalty by bodychecking a player who wasn’t eligible to be hit.

The video makes it clear that Hagel had no business laying into Barkov, especially considering the Panthers captain never touched the puck and was in a vulnerable position as he jockeyed with the Lightning defender for the puck.

However, the video highlights that Barkov is ineligible to be checked as he never had possession of the puck. The video then underscores Hagel’s responsibility by stating:

The video concludes that Hagel got a one-game suspension due to the nature of the incident and that he had no prior history of fines or suspensions.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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