Each summer, The Athletic ranks every NHL team’s contracts — highlighting the best deals, the worst, and everything in between. This year, the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed the top spot.
The Athletic highlighted the pairing of Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli as a major strength for the Lightning. Hagel posted a 90-point season, while Cirelli set career highs and became the first player in franchise history to be named a Selke Trophy finalist. Both are expected to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“Both players saw their market value shoot up $3 million per year relative to last season, a huge jump that obviously added a lot of surplus value given how much term both players have left. Combined, the duo’s unexpected ascent added $40 million to Tampa Bay’s bottom line.”
The Athletic also credited the improvement of Erik Cernak and the strength of Andrei Vasilevskiy. Last summer, GM Julien BriseBois made bold changes that sent defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah. His eight-year, $68 million contract was set to expire at the end of the 2030-31 season. The move freed up space for the Lightning to bring in J.J. Moser and Conor Geekie.
Between forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, Hagel and Cirelli, the Lightning are paying $40.8 million for $58.5 million of value.
Three Tampa Bay Lightning wingers, Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel appeared on the NHL Network's Top 20 wingers list.
To no surprise, Kucherov came atop of the rankings. His Art Ross-winning season was exceptional, scoring 37 goals and 121 points in 78 games. His 1.55 points per game were tops in the NHL, and his 84 assists were equal with Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead.
The 32-year-old has become a master of his craft, consistently displaying wizardry with the puck. His ability to create open space with his edge work and hands makes him a constant threat. Adding in his ability to shoot the puck and his vision, stopping Kucherov is a task many NHL defenseman haven't come close to figuring out.
Joining Kucherov on this list were Guentzel and Hagel, who came in at No. 11 and No. 13.
Guentzel was outstanding in his first season with the Lightning, fitting in on the top line like a glove. He scored a career-high 41 goals and recorded his second-highest point total of 80. Entering just the second season of a seven-year contract, it wouldn't be shocking to see the 30-year-old eclipse the 45-goal mark and the 90-point mark.
Hagel has been nothing short of great since he arrived from the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021-22 season. He's seen his goals and point totals climb with each season, and the 2024-25 campaign took his game to a new level.
The 26-year-old set a career-high of 35 goals and 90 points in 82 games while maintaining his defensive acumen. While his goals and point totals are impressive on their own, when factoring in that he recorded just 11 points on the power play and no goals, it highlights just how effective he is at 5-on-5.
The Lightning possess one of the best top-sixes in the NHL, and the play of Kucherov, Guentzel and Hagel highlights it.
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