Sam Gagner

Sam William Gagner (born 10 August 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, and Winnipeg Jets.

Gagner was drafted by the Oilers in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2007 NHL entry draft, and played there for the first seven years of his NHL career. He also played one season each for the Coyotes, Flyers, Blue Jackets, and Canucks before returning to Edmonton in 2019; he was then traded to the Red Wings in 2020. After three years in Detroit followed by a season with the Jets, Gagner returned to Edmonton for a third tenure in 2023.

Playing career

Amateur Gagner played midget hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) in 2004–05. He scored 173 points and was awarded the Buck Houle Award, a Marlboros team award given for outstanding on-ice performance and leadership. The same season, he made his junior debut, playing 13 games for the Milton Icehawks of the OPJHL, scoring 15 points. His dad was the coach of his minor hockey career. In 2005–06, he joined the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and scored 46 points in 56 games, second in team scoring. Along the way, Gagner played with future NHLer John Tavares on the Marlboros and later the Icehawks. As early as 2002, the pair also honed their skills and became friends on a backyard rink built by Sam's dad Dave in Oakville.

Gagner originally committed to play hockey at the collegiate level for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but later decided to stay closer to home by playing for a Canadian major junior hockey team. Considered a first-round talent, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s London Knights selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 OHL entry draft on a flyer, as his commitment to play college hockey deterred many OHL teams from drafting him. Joined by future NHL stars Patrick Kane and Sergei Kostitsyn on the Knights' top line in 2006–07, Gagner scored 118 points in 53 games, fifth in OHL scoring. He also captained Team Burns/Bergeron (Red) in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game to a 5–3 victory over Team Bowman/Demers (White).

Professional

Edmonton Oilers Gagner was drafted in the first round, sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2007 NHL entry draft. On 1 October 2007, he was then signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Oilers. He played his first NHL game on 4 October in a 3–2 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks and earned his first NHL point, assisting on a goal scored by defenceman Tom Gilbert. On 20 October, Gagner scored his first career NHL goal against Miikka Kiprusoff of the Calgary Flames.

As the NHL's youngest player in 2007–08, he tallied 49 points in 79 games playing between wingers and fellow rookies Andrew Cogliano and Robert Nilsson on a combination dubbed the "Kid Line." During the season, Gagner participated in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game in Atlanta as part of All-Star weekend and was also named the NHL Rookie of the Month for February. As part of a month-long scoring stretch in which he scored 13 points in 12 games, he also established an Oilers team record for the longest assists streak by a rookie with nine in eight straight games.

The next season, 2008–09, Gagner recorded his first career NHL hat-trick and added an assist for a four-point game in an 8–1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on 19 March 2009. He finished his sophomore season with 16 goals and 41 points in 76 games. In the following two campaigns, he posted 41- and 42-point efforts.

On 9 March 2011, Gagner severed a tendon in his left hand while facing the Washington Capitals when teammate Ryan Jones caught him with a skate blade while jumping over the boards. Requiring surgery, Gagner was sidelined for the remainder of the 2010–11 season, as well as one month into the following campaign, making his return to the Oilers line-up on 22 October 2011. Several months later, on 2 February 2012, Gagner scored four goals and four assists against the Chicago Blackhawks, tying the team record of eight points in a game, previously set by Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey. The feat also made him the eighth NHL player of all time to score eight or more points in a single game, and the first since Mario Lemieux did it in 1989. Two days later, Gagner scored two goals and added an assist in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings, setting a new Oilers record with 11 consecutive points, previously held by Gretzky, who scored ten consecutive points twice his career. Gagner finished the season with 47 points over 75 games, with nearly a quarter of his output having occurred in that two-game stretch.

During the 2012–13 NHL lock-out, Gagner signed with Klagenfurter AC of the Eishockey Liga in Austria. On 22 July 2013, shortly after the end of the 2012–13 season, the Oilers signed Gagner to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.8 million.

Trade to Arizona On 29 June 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Gagner in exchange for Teddy Purcell. Gagner, however, only spent an hour as a member of the Lightning before then being acquired by the Arizona Coyotes, along with B. J. Crombeen, in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2015 NHL entry draft.

During the Coyotes' training camp ahead of the 2014–15 season, Arizona head coach Dave Tippett experimented utilizing Gagner on the right wing instead of his natural centre position, where he played in a pre-season, 5–4 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings. With a fresh start, former with Arizona, Gagner found chemistry playing on a line with centre Martin Hanzal; the two combined for 16 points in just five games in December and January 2015.

Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets On 27 June 2015, Gagner was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers along with a conditional third (2017) or fourth (2016) round draft pick in return for Nicklas Grossmann and the contract of Chris Pronger. Coyotes general manager Don Maloney explained the trade as being due to a belief in the organization that Gagner "couldn't play centre at the NHL level".

On 1 August 2016, Gagner signed a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Following a resurgent season with the Blue Jackets where he set a career-high in points with 50, Gagner signed a 3-year $9.45 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks and return to Edmonton Prior to the 2018–19 season, after attending the Canucks training camp and pre-season Gagner was placed on waivers by the Canucks on 1 October 2018. He cleared waivers the next day, and was loaned in order to be closer to his family to the Toronto Marlies, affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gagner scored 15 points in 15 games with the Marlies before he was recalled by the injury-struck Canucks on 18 November 2018. He registered 1 goal and 3 points in 7 games before Vancouver returned to health and he was returned to the Marlies on 4 December 2018.

Through 43 games with the Marlies, Gagner was among the team's top scorers with 37 points. He was traded by the Canucks in return to his original draft club, the Edmonton Oilers, in exchange for Ryan Spooner on 16 February 2019. During the 2019–20 season, Gagner recorded five goals and seven assists in 36 games for the Oilers.

Detroit Red Wings On 24 February 2020, Gagner was traded at the NHL trade deadline from the Oilers, along with second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Kuffner. He added one goal in 6 games with the Red Wings before their season was prematurely ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic suspending play.

On 26 September 2020, the Red Wings signed Gagner to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension. On 28 July 2021, the Red Wings signed Gagner to a one-year contract extension.

Winnipeg Jets As a free agent from the Red Wings, Gagner continued his career by signing for his 16th season in the NHL in agreeing to a one-year, league minimum $750,000 contract with the Winnipeg Jets on 2 September 2022. In a depth forward role for the Jets in the 2022–23 season, Gagner played his 1,000th NHL career game on 29 December 2022, against the Vancouver Canucks. He contributed with 8 goals and 6 assists for 14 points in 48 regular season games before he was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with season ending surgery to both hips on 16 March 2023.

Third tenure with Edmonton As a free agent following his lone season with the Jets, Gagner opted to extend his career by accepting an invitation to return to the Oilers on a professional tryout contract in preparation for the 2023–24 NHL season on 29 August 2023. Continuing his rehab from his double hip surgery, Gagner did not appear in any pre-season games with the Oilers, and was later signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Oilers' affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, for the 2023–24 AHL season on 23 October 2023. However, just eight days after signing with Bakersfield, Gagner was signed to a one-year, two-way NHL contract by the Oilers on 31 October, marking his third tenure with the team. In his first game with Edmonton since 2020, Gagner scored two goals, but the Oilers lost to the Dallas Stars 4–3.

Belleville Senators and retirement As an unsigned free agent leading into the mid-point of the 2024–25 season, Gagner opted to continue his professional career by signing a professional tryout (PTO) contract with AHL outfit, the Belleville Senators, affiliate to the Ottawa Senators, on 24 January 2025.

Several months later, on 15 May, Gagner joined the Ottawa Senators' front office as director of player development, ending his playing career.

International play

Gagner competed for Canada at the 2007 World Junior Championships in Sweden, playing in all six games as the youngest player on the team, helping Canada to their third of five-straight gold medals.

Later that year, upon being selected in the 2007 NHL entry draft, Gagner competed in the 2007 Super Series, an eight-game series between Canada's and Russia's national junior teams commemorating the 1972 Summit Series. He scored 15 points and was named series MVP, as Canada defeated Russia 7–0–1 in the series.

After Gagner's 2007–08 rookie season with the Oilers, he made his senior international debut with Canada in the 2008 World Championships in Canada as a reserve. Gagner played in one preliminary game as Canada was defeated in the gold medal game by Russia.

In December 2024, Gagner was selected for Canada's squad for the 2024 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. Gagner played in both of Canada's group stage games, registering an assist in the opener against the tournament hosts, HC Davos, before featuring in their semi-final loss to Straubing Tigers.

Personal life In his rookie year, Gagner lived in a house provided by Oilers captain Ethan Moreau, along with teammates Andrew Cogliano and Tom Gilbert. In the summer of 2009, Gilbert bought his own house while Gagner and Cogliano each got apartments in Edmonton in the same complex. During the off-season, Gagner goes back to his hometown of London, Ontario.

Gagner is the son of former NHL player Dave Gagner, who spent 15 seasons with the Rangers, North Stars/Stars, Flames, Maple Leafs, Panthers and Canucks. Due to his dad's career, Sam Gagner grew up in Minneapolis, Dallas, Toronto, Calgary, Miami, Vancouver and Oakville. His sister, Jessica Gagner, played hockey for the Dartmouth Big Green women's ice hockey program.

Gagner married longtime girlfriend Dr. Rachel Linke in Muskoka, Ontario, on 12 July 2014. They have three children.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2004–05 Toronto Marlboros AAA GTHL U16 89 63 110 173 56 — — — — — 2004–05 Milton Icehawks OPJHL 13 5 10 15 10 — — — — — 2005–06 Sioux City Musketeers USHL 56 11 35 46 60 — — — — — 2006–07 London Knights OHL 53 35 83 118 36 16 7 22 29 22 2007–08 Edmonton Oilers NHL 79 13 36 49 23 — — — — — 2008–09 Edmonton Oilers NHL 76 16 25 41 51 — — — — — 2009–10 Edmonton Oilers NHL 68 15 26 41 33 — — — — — 2010–11 Edmonton Oilers NHL 68 15 27 42 37 — — — — — 2011–12 Edmonton Oilers NHL 75 18 29 47 36 — — — — — 2012–13 EC KAC EBEL 21 10 10 20 8 — — — — — 2012–13 Edmonton Oilers NHL 48 14 24 38 23 — — — — — 2013–14 Edmonton Oilers NHL 67 10 27 37 41 — — — — — 2014–15 Arizona Coyotes NHL 81 15 26 41 28 — — — — — 2015–16 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 53 8 8 16 25 6 0 2 2 8 2015–16 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL 9 1 5 6 4 — — — — — 2016–17 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 81 18 32 50 22 5 0 2 2 2 2017–18 Vancouver Canucks NHL 74 10 21 31 35 — — — — — 2018–19 Toronto Marlies AHL 43 12 25 37 12 — — — — — 2018–19 Vancouver Canucks NHL 7 1 2 3 4 — — — — — 2018–19 Edmonton Oilers NHL 25 5 5 10 10 — — — — — 2019–20 Bakersfield Condors AHL 4 2 2 4 5 — — — — — 2019–20 Edmonton Oilers NHL 36 5 7 12 10 — — — — — 2019–20 Detroit Red Wings NHL 6 1 0 1 2 — — — — — 2020–21 Detroit Red Wings NHL 42 7 8 15 15 — — — — — 2021–22 Detroit Red Wings NHL 81 13 18 31 32 — — — — — 2022–23 Winnipeg Jets NHL 48 8 6 14 13 — — — — — 2023–24 Bakersfield Condors AHL 15 3 6 9 0 — — — — — 2023–24 Edmonton Oilers NHL 28 5 5 10 10 — — — — — 2024–25 Belleville Senators AHL 19 0 10 10 4 — — — — — NHL totals 1,043 197 332 529 450 11 0 4 4 10

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2006 Canada Ontario U17 5th 5 6 7 13 0 2007 Canada WJC 6 0 0 0 8 2008 Canada WC 1 0 0 0 0 Junior totals 19 12 16 28 16 Senior totals 1 0 0 0 0

Awards and honours

Records Edmonton Oilers most points in a single game – 8 (shared with Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey) Edmonton Oilers most points in a single period – 5 (shared with Jari Kurri)