Canada Comes Calling: Lightning Stars Earn Invite

With the thermometers climbing past 90 degrees this week in Tampa, hockey may not be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. However, there is no time of the year when the Tampa Bay Lightning players aren’t thinking about improving their games, regardless of the weather or the calendar.

“I come into every single year and try to improve myself,” veteran Lightning winger Brandon Hagel said following the 2024-25 season. “I try to be better and come into this locker room knowing that the first day I step on the ice at camp, I am going to have belief in my abilities, and that I did everything in the summer to be able to make this team a better team.”

Every season is important to Hagel, who will be entering his seventh season. However, the 2025-26 season is unique for a couple of reasons.

First, Hagel is coming off the most productive season of his career. Secondly, he is not only going to be focused on helping the Lightning be successful, but he and a pair of teammates have put themselves in a position to help their country achieve greatness.

Hagel, as well as centers Anthony Cirelli and Brayden Point, were among the 42 players chosen by Team Canada (and Lightning) General Manager Julien BriseBois and head coach Jon Cooper (also of the Lightning) to participate in Team Canada’s Orientation Camp August 26 to 28 in Calgary.

“My goal,” Hagel said of his focus each season, “is to try and win a Stanley Cup. That is basically why I am playing in this league. There are a lot of other things, obviously, but that is going to be my goal every single year, to try and win a Stanley Cup.”

The three Tampa Bay players are among the 26 forwards who will compete in the camp, along with 13 defensemen and a trio of goalies.

Hagel had a shortened postseason (three games and just over 50 minutes of ice time) after suffering a head injury following an illegal hit by Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

“I know that there are accidents in hockey,” Hagel said. “There are hits that are made where your shoulder is down and maybe catches a head. The sport is fast. It happens very often, and you don’t like to see that.

“That was as purposeful as you could possibly see a headshot.”

That injury closed a terrific season in which Hagel scored a career-high 90 points (35 goals and 55 assists, also career marks). That productivity left everyone, aside from Hagel, impressed with his development.

“At the end of the day,” Hagel said, “I couldn’t care less if I had 90 points or one point. I want my contributions in the regular season to help us get into the playoffs. (But) If you told me that I was going to have one point and we’re going to have a chance to be in the Stanley Cup Finals, it wouldn’t bother me.”

That would bother many other people, but Hagel’s humility is appreciated, and his point is well taken.

Hagel not only has the Orientation Camp looming, but in seven weeks, the Lightning actually take to the ice for their preseason opener (Sept. 22 at Carolina).

“My goal every single year is to get better as a player,” Hagel said, “to get better as a person, get better as a leader, and to be able to help this hockey team win.

“That is my mindset every single season. To be able to come off the ice every single game and look myself in the mirror and be able to say that I gave 100 percent.”

The 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey will be played from February 11, 2026, through February 22 in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Each team will carry 25 players on its roster, with a likely breakdown of 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders.

Canada will open play on February 12 against Czechia.