Bruins forward contract compared to this player
As summer winds down for most of the league's GMs and players, a significant deal was sealed as the Tampa Bay Lightning and forward Brandon Hagel finalized an eight-year, $52 million contract extension set to start in the 2023-24 season.
This deal places Hagel in the company of top-paid Lightning forwards, trailing Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.
At 24 years old, Hagel's contract elevates him to the sixth-highest paid player on the Bolt's roster.
Reflecting on his remarkable performance in the 2022-23 season, Hagel achieved personal bests in goals, assists, and points.
His role expanded further with career highs in various areas including hits, blocked shots, shots on goal, and time on ice per game.
This well-deserved extension could potentially set the stage for contract discussions for other players, like the Bruins' winger Jake DeBrusk, who had a strong 2022-23 season, tallying his career-high in goals and points.
DeBrusk's game elevated while positioned alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.
His numbers over a span of 96 games were impressive, with 43 goals, marking him as one of Boston's top goal-scorers. DeBrusk's performance was further amplified by his role in the penalty kill unit.
Comparing DeBrusk and Hagel, statistics reveal their comparable contributions. DeBrusk maintained the edge in certain scoring metrics, largely influenced by factors such as offensive-zone faceoffs.
Hagel stood out for his tenacious play and high number of takeaways, ranking second in the league.
The upcoming season holds interesting prospects for both players. While Hagel's performance could be seen as his new standard, DeBrusk faces a shift without Bergeron as his linemate.
The Bruins have options, and it's possible they'll experiment with DeBrusk's positioning.
Amidst the negotiation uncertainties, Bruins GM Don Sweeney's approach to securing players early might influence DeBrusk's future contract.
Financially, the Bruins have flexibility, making retaining DeBrusk feasible. All in all, the Tampa Bay deal provides a valuable benchmark for these discussions.
Source: 985thesportshub
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Do you think the contract extension for Brandon Hagel and the performance of Jake DeBrusk will impact the upcoming NHL season? | ||
| Yes | 16 | 76.2 % |
| No | 5 | 23.8 % |
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