The rivalry between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers reached another level during their preseason meeting in October 2025, when Panthers forward A.J. Greer cross-checked Brandon Hagel and followed it up with a punch to the face.
The incident quickly spiraled out of control, leading to several fights, and more than 186 penalty minutes.
Nearly a year later, Hagel has reflected on the altercation and explained why emotions boiled over between the two teams.
Brandon Hagel Opens Up About Panthers Incident
The incident began early in the first period when Greer delivered a cross-check to Hagel’s lower back, knocking the Lightning forward down to one knee. Greer then threw several punches, catching Hagel completely by surprise and giving him no opportunity to defend himself. The incident quickly escalated as players from both teams rushed in, turning the game into a chaotic scene.
Hagel did not return to the game, while Greer received the maximum fine of $2,213.54 for roughing.
Speaking on The Cam & Strick Podcast, Hagel admitted that emotions got the better of both teams. “I think it got out of control a little bit last year. But I think, from our standpoint, it had to be done in a certain sense. I mean, I get sucker-punched in the head for no reason in the preseason… That was uncalled for. So obviously, from both teams’ standpoints, when something like that happens, there’s not going to be no answer,” Hagel said.
Hagel made it clear that he believed Greer’s actions crossed the line. However, the roots of the conflict stretched back much further than that preseason game.
In Game 2 of the 2025 first-round series between the two teams, Hagel delivered a controversial hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. The hit earned Hagel a one-game suspension and became a major talking point throughout the series.
When Hagel returned to the lineup in Game 4, Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad delivered a hit that left the Lightning forward with a concussion. Ekblad was suspended for two games, but the tension between the two clubs remained.
By the time the teams met again in the preseason, it was clear that the hostility had not disappeared.
The rivalry only intensified two days later when the Panthers and Lightning combined for an astonishing 312 penalty minutes, 65 penalties and 16 ejections during another exhibition game.
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As Hagel acknowledged, Greer’s actions may have been “uncalled for,” but neither side was willing to let the matter go. The incident proved that in the Battle of Florida, playoff grudges never simply fade away when a new season begins.
