Prospect Info: Brandon Hagel (2016, 159th) – '18-19: Rights relinquished; signs ELC with Chicago

LaxSabre

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It has been at times a tough season to navigate, but Red Deer Rebels forward Brandon Hagel (2016, sixth round) has himself back on the map as a peak performer after capturing nine points last week.

Hagel erupted for a four-assist effort Monday, the second four-helper game of his WHL career, to boost Red Deer to a 4-0 victory at Prince George. On Wednesday, Hagel took a lead pass and buried a forehand for the game-winning goal and added an assist as Rebels toppled Kelowna 4-1.

Hagel continued to make an impact Friday, netting one assist and pumping eight shots on goal to earn the game's first star to help the Rebels earn a 4-3 win at Victoria. The Rebels continued the Western road swing Sunday with yet another victory as Hagel produced a pair of helpers in a 4-2 triumph at Vancouver.

It has been a challenging season for both Hagel and the Rebels, but the club is getting on track at the right time. After missing six weeks with an upper-body injury, during which the Rebels spiraled into a 13-game losing streak, Hagel has been a point-per-game player with 17 points in as many games since his return. The productive week gives the energetic winger 10 goals and 42 points in 45 total contests for a Red Deer squad that has won nine of its last 11 games.
 

LaxSabre

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x-Red Deer Rebels‏@Rebelshockey -

GOAL! Rebels get one right back and it's 1-1.
@Bhags9 taps in from @hunterdonohoe to tie it up!


GOOOOAAAL!!!!! It's @Bhags9 with the go-ahead PP goal!! Rebels lead 3-2 with 4:10 left in the third!
GOOOOAALLL!!!!! @Bhags9 scores his third goal of the night with an empty-netter!!! 5-2 Rebels with 38 seconds left!
And with that win....WE’RE IN!!! #playoffs

It's a #RDR sweep for tonight's 3 Stars #MHvsRD -
#3 - Kristian Reichel - 2 G - #3- @AndersEthan - 34 saves - #1 - @Bhags9 - 3 G - 1 A.
 
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LaxSabre

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The Rebels trailed 2-1 after two periods but Reichel pulled the hosts even early in the final frame. The Czech forward, from the high slot, zipped a shot over the shoulder of Tigers goalie Michael Bullion following some strong work by Arshdeep Bains and Zak Smith - who each drew an assist - just inside the Medicine Hat blueline.

With Tigers veteran defenceman David Quenneville serving a hooking penalty, Hagel shovelled the puck home from the edge of the crease at 15:50, and the Rebels sealed the deal in the final minute. With Quenneville off for slashing, Hagel and Mason McCarty headed up ice on a two-on-one break and Reichel, as the trailer, put the wraps on nifty three-way passing play at 19:08. Then, with 39 seconds remaining, Ethan Sakowich forwarded the puck up the boards to Hagel and the Buffalo Sabres draft pick added an empty-net goal to complete his hat trick.

“We fought hard. We needed a point to clinch a playoff spot and we played like that,” said Hagel.
“The second period wasn’t our best period but I thought overall we played pretty well.”


The Tigers got a power-play goal from Kristians Rubins 5:37 into the contest when his point shot found its way through a crowd and into the back of the net, but the Rebels responded quickly -a mere 28 seconds later - with Hagel tipping home a feed from Hunter Donohoe.

“We were moving pucks quick, getting pucks to the net and getting pucks into the lanes that were open,” said Hagel of the team’s man advantage success.

The Hagel-Reichel-McCarty line, as was the case in Friday’s 4-1 win at Lethbridge, was on fire. The trio, in fact, has been a force over parts of the past seven weeks.

“We’re our top players, everyone knows it,” said Hagel. “We have to be our best players, Brent (Head Coach Brent Sutter) harps on it all the time and we’re bearing down. “This is the most important time of the year. Guys are trying to get contracts, guys are trying to get drafted. I mean now is the time to show up and now that we’re in the playoffs we just have to continue on.”

Game Recap - Rebels nail down playoff spot with thrilling win over Tigers - Red Deer Rebels Website.
 
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LaxSabre

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Brandon Hagel (2016, sixth round) maintained the hot hand last week, snagging a goal and two assists and logging a fighting major to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick in Red Deer's 4-1 win over Lethbridge on Friday night. Hagel kept at it Saturday, recording his third career hat trick and adding an assist to thrust the Rebels to a 5-2 victory over Medicine Hat.

Hagel has been on fire since the calendar rolled over into March, potting five goals and five assists in his last five games. Last March, Hagel produced nine goals and 15 points in eight regular-season games before closing the month with four goals in four postseason contests.

The recent hot stretch has elevated Hagel to 17 goals and 56 points in 54 games.
 

LaxSabre

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Kris Baker‏ @SabresProspects -
Brandon Hagel with his 18th goal plus an assist as Red Deer leads Lethbridge 4-1 in the 3rd period.

LaxSabre - Final Score - Red Deer 5 Lethbridge 2.

x-Red Deer Rebels‏@Rebelshockey
-
GOAL!! With just under 5:30 left in the second, Reichel gets his second from
@Bhags9 and @24Barteaux!

WOW!! Great passing in the attacking end and @Bhags9 finishes it off with an empty net to shoot at. 4-1.
Assists go to @MasonMcCarty5 & Reichel.
Both @Bhags9 and @MasonMcCarty5 had 3 game point streaks going coming into this game.
They've now extended them to 4 games while Reichel extends his goal scoring streak to 3 games.

#RDR picks up a big win against their first round playoff match-up Lethbridge.
The @boosterjuice 3 stars for the game: 3. @Tarzwell17 (1G, 1A) 2. @Bhags9 (1G, 1A) 1. Kristian Reichel (2G, 2A).




The line of Brandon Hagel, Kristian Reichel and Mason McCarty continued with their strong play of late, with each member of the unit contributing on four of the five goals. Reichel scored twice and picked up two assists, Hagel had a goal and a single helper and McCarty recorded two assists.

“We (coaches) harp on it and Hages (Hagel) says the coach harps on it, but that’s OK,” joked Head Coach Brent Sutter. “I’m good with that because your best players have to be your best players. They should be your best players this time of the year.

"This is the time of the year you want your top players to rise to the occasion, take it and put everyone on their shoulders. They’ve played well and everyone else has to fall in line and do their jobs. For the most part they’ve been doing that too.”
 
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sabrebuild

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I have a feeling he turns into a sheary or pominville lite.

It’s gonna take him two more years, but I bet after two ahl seasons he makes himself a regular bottom 6 guy. Big enough, good skater, tenacious. Sounds like a guy who already knows how to adapt to what coach expects and knows he won’t make the league as a top 6 winger.

Nostradamus prediction locked in.
 
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SnuggaRUDE

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I have a feeling he turns into a sheary or pominville lite.

It’s gonna take him two more years, but I bet after two ahl seasons he makes himself a regular bottom 6 guy. Big enough, good skater, tenacious. Sounds like a guy who already knows how to adapt to what coach expects and knows he won’t make the league as a top 6 winger.

Nostradamus prediction locked in.

His game is WAAAAY different than those guys. Think feisty agitator at the professional level. The risk is he gets caught in that in between land: stronger and more aggressive than the fast players; but not faster than the strong big lads. They work out in the AHL; but get victimized at the NHL.
 

CowbellConray

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Sounds a bit like Dan Cat from a few years ago... once a favorite of mine!

Could be a solid AHL guy and you never know it might transition
 

sabrebuild

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His game is WAAAAY different than those guys. Think feisty agitator at the professional level. The risk is he gets caught in that in between land: stronger and more aggressive than the fast players; but not faster than the strong big lads. They work out in the AHL; but get victimized at the NHL.

Sorry, I didn’t mean stylistically, more the timing of their development.
 

Chainshot

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He and Malone are the only forwards in their stable who are remotely naturally gritty. That should be his ticket to the bigs, if he can survive that style as players get bigger and the punishment becomes more taxing.
 

Chainshot

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Opened the scoring with a PP goal 0:59 into the game, but the Rebels are down 4-2 in the second period.
 

Chainshot

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Hagel with the Rebels first goal to tie it in the first (yay!) for his third of the series (yay!) but takes a penalty at the end of the 2nd that winds up with a PPGA for Lethbridge (boo!) and then takes a goalie interference penalty at the 20:00 minute mark of the third with the game tied... and the Hurricanes win it on the PP in OT (boo!).

Lethbridge is up 3-0 in the series.
 
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Deleted member 27798

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He and Malone are the only forwards in their stable who are remotely naturally gritty. That should be his ticket to the bigs, if he can survive that style as players get bigger and the punishment becomes more taxing.
I'd like to see a couple of NCAA UDFA's signed by the Sabres who would help in this regard.
 

Chainshot

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I'd like to see a couple of NCAA UDFA's signed by the Sabres who would help in this regard.

Outside of Andrew Sturtz, I can't think of many who fill that bill.

I'm curious if Hagel gets Coasted. They don't need another Karabacek contract, but I like Hagel more as a player. Not sure how the team feels.
 

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