A.J. Greer was fined $2.212.54 for roughing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the Florida Panthers’ 5-2 preseason loss on Thursday, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced.
The fine is the maximum allowable amount under the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
Florida’s A.J. Greer has been fined $2,213.54, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for roughing Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 3, 2025
Midway through the opening period, Greer tangled himself up with Hagel, sending him down to the ice with an apparent cross check and high stick.
After Hagel got back to his feet, Greer immediately landed a right cross to stun the winger, igniting a line brawl between the two in-state rivals.
Greer was handed a 10 minute misconduct on the play, while Hagel was removed from the game and did not return with an undisclosed injury.
Pat Maroon, a 14-year NHL veteran who has now joined the Lightning as a team ambassador, called Greer’s actions “gutless” during the intermission.
The chippy preseason affair saw 186 combined penalty minutes handed out, renewing the hostilities from the first-round of last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Just some old friends getting reacquainted,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said after the contest. “There’s a lot of passion and leftover memories that go into those games.
Greer, a Joliette, Que. native, played in 81 games for the Panthers last season, scoring six goals and 17 points.
In 248 career games played, the former second-round pick has totalled 19 goals and 30 assists across eight NHL seasons split between the Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, and Panthers.