Fans puzzled by NHL DoPS decision on Seth Jones after hit on Brandon Hagel

It's well known by now that the Battle of Florida is one of the most intense rivalries in the NHL, and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there were some major hits that proved that point correct.

In the middle of it all was Brandon Hagel, and somehow, he has once again found himself at the centre of some controversy involving the Panthers and a hit that caused an injury.

This time, it was Seth Jones that laid out a brutal hit on Hagel, causing the veteran forward to depart the game and not return as a result, with many calling for Jones to face some type of punishment.

However, TSN's Chris Johnston has now confirmed that despite their history and the potential intent from Jones on this play, there will be no punishment handed down to Jones for his hit on Hagel, despite all of the history and the clear contact with his head.

Unsurprisingly, the Lightning weren't happy with the hit from Jones, and will be even less pleased that he faces no punishment for taking out the Lightning's key forward, and given what we saw in the pre-season, there's a good chance we see some retribution the next time they play.

While it's never great to see a player get injured, this rivalry is great for hockey, especially in Florida, and now after this, no one should be surprised if the Lightning respond the next time they do battle.