Yesterday, our Bolts By The Bay page created a post on X, asking fans and followers who they thought had been the most valuable player for the Lightning so far this season. Many teams have one player they can point to, but with the way the Bolts have played so far, the answers were quite divided. Many pointed to Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov, while others mentioned Brayden Point, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Anthony Cirelli.
The differing responses prompted me to do some research and make a case about who I feel is most deserving. Just a quick reminder: this is my opinion, and mine alone. If you disagree, don't get too bent out of shape - I'm wrong often.
Nikita Kucherov the clear answer?
If you asked any hockey fan who isn't cheering for Tampa Bay, their immediate answer would likely be Nikita Kucherov. And why wouldn't it be? The Russian winger is coming off of an Art Ross Trophy-winning year - the second of his career - and a season where many believed he should have won the Hart Trophy as well. It's hard to argue against that. Kuch has led the Lightning in scoring for the past two seasons, placing in the top three of the NHL both times. He's leading the Bolts again this year, currently sitting at fifth in the entire league.
It would be silly to argue for any other player, right? I mean, a guy who was arguably the most valuable player in the league last year must be the most valuable on his team. That might not be 100% true. Brandon Hagel is hot on his tail.
Brandon Hagel, the Lightning's very own Energizer Bunny
The 26-year-old is one of the most talked about players in the NHL right now, and for good reason. On Monday night he put together a performance that saw him rack up five assists in his first 12 minutes of ice time. One X user, @hudackom1, even dubbed him the "Energizer Bunny" due to Hagel's relentless effort and intensity - traits that often get him involved in scrums. But you need guys like that. That energy has earned him the second-most ice time among Lightning forwards, just behind Kuch.
And his numbers are incredible. Through the first 20 games of the season, Hagel has 9 goals, 17 assists, and 26 points. That puts him on pace for career bests in all three categories, and he's only six points behind Nikita Kucherov. Not only is he on pace for career highs, he's on track to smash them. If he keeps this up he's looking at 106 points - 31 more than his previous best. It's also worth noting that he's scored multiple points on short handed opportunities for a penalty kill unit that has lacked success.
In my opinion, there's a clear divide between Hagel and Kucherov at the top, but for the sake of argument, let's take a look at the other players tagged on X.
Brayden Point's injury showed how important he is to this offense
We'll start with Brayden Point.
For me, Point's strongest argument actually comes from his absence. He's missed three, let's call it four games, due to an injury sustained in the first period of the November 3rd matchup against the Jets. Point scored early to get the Lightning out to a quick lead. However, he left the ice midway through the first frame, not returning for another three games afterwards. His absence was immediately felt as the Jets took over and defeated the Bolts 7-4.
Over the next two games, the Lightning lost to weaker teams in the St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers. The high-powered offense struggled, scoring only three goals in that two game window. In the final game of Point's brief hiatus the Bolts managed a win, though they did have a week to prepare following a "bye". Still, a 1-2-1 record without Brayden Point shows just how instrumental he is to this team's offensive success. Not to mention, he has seven power play goals, four more than second-place Jake Guentzel.
Andrei Vasilevskiy doing Andrei Vasilevskiy things
There's no question that Vasy is one of the best net-minders in the league, it's been that way since he came into the NHL. But, you could argue that he's the absolute best. According to quanthockey.com, Vasilevskiy ranks fourth among goalies who have played more than 10 games in goals-against average with an outstanding 2.24, and he's posting a solid .915 save percentage with a 10-6-1 record.
So why isn’t he my pick for the oh-so-coveted FanSided Quarter-of-the-Season MVP? It's simple - he has one of the league's top offenses playing in front of him. The Lightning rank fifth in goals per game, averaging 3.80, with a noticeable drop-off to the sixth place Devils, who score 3.50 per game. Vasy is undeniably elite, but the team’s offensive firepower makes it a little easier for him to rack up wins. While he’s absolutely vital to the team, the "most valuable" label feels like it could - and should - apply to someone on the other end of the ice.
Anthony Cirelli has made huge leaps
Now, let’s talk about Anthony Cirelli, who’s been nothing short of excellent this season. After posting a career-high 45 points in 79 games last year, Cirelli is on pace to absolutely shatter that mark this year. He already has 22 points through the first 20 games, putting him on track for a 90-point season which would have him doubling his previous best.
Cirelli is currently third on the Lightning in scoring, but perhaps the most impressive stat is his +11 plus/minus, which leads the team, tied with Ryan McDonagh. Cirelli has really turned it on as of late, scoring 9 of his 22 points in the last six games. This is why he falls in my personal rankings. The other guys have performed the whole season, whereas, he is just now getting hot. But, if he keeps it up he could find himself with the even more coveted FanSided Midseason MVP.
My MVP pick
At the end of the day, the Bolts are stacked, making it tough to pick just one guy. Kuch has been consistently dominant, Hagel is playing out of his mind, and Point’s absence has proven just how crucial he is. Vasilevskiy is, well, Vasilevskiy, and Cirelli’s breakout season has been impressive. But for me, Hagel takes the crown for MVP so far. His energy, intensity, and production have been absolutely invaluable.