Jim Matheson’s Hockey World
Former Oilers forward may get contract bought out by Flyers
Sam Gagner and his doctor/ wife Rachel are expecting their first child in late August, which will probably be the happiest day of their lives.
But Gagner might not have a job. The former Edmonton Oilers centre/winger, who was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning and then quickly traded to the Arizona Coyotes in a three-way deal last summer, was moved to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday at the NHL entry draft for defenceman Nicklas Grossman and the rights to the retired and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, who is now working for the NHL in Player Safety.
The Coyotes talked about buying out Gagner, who is still only 25 but has played 562 NHL games, because general manager Don Maloney didn’t think he could be a centre.
Arizona has only the oftinjured Martin Hanzal, ex-Oiler Mark Arcobello and a lot of questions marks.
Now the Flyers may do the same thing before the freeagent doors swing open July 1 because they have Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn in the middle.
The Flyers wanted to send the big, but slow-footed, Grossman and his $3.5-million salary elsewhere and save on Pronger’s salary, which hasn’t counted against the salary cap because he’s been on long-term injury status. But they don’t necessarily want Gagner and his $3.2-million salary.
So Gagner, who frustratingly has yet to play a single NHL playoff game in eight seasons and finished second in points (41) on the Coyotes behind Oliver Ekman-Larsson, sits and waits.
“I’m waiting to figure things out. I’m waiting to hear what happens in the next few days … there’s been talk of, uh, a buyout,” said Gagner, who has had six 40-point seasons and has 336 points in his NHL career.
“The Flyers are trying to figure out their cap situation. I’d love to be there. You understand it’s a business, but you don’t want it happening to you.”
Gagner doesn’t know why he wasn’t a fit in Arizona.
Maybe he didn’t play sound enough defensively for coach Dave Tippett — he was minus-28, but the team as a whole was not good. Shane Doan, for instance, was minus-29. Maybe, the Coyotes, who won only 24 games, didn’t think he gave them enough in the middle; he played a fair bit as a winger.
“At the end of the day, we just didn’t feel Sam could play centre at the National Hockey League level for us and by moving his salary … we have a couple of young players we can put in his place and grow with them. We decided to move on,” said Maloney.
“We’re getting a defenceman Dave Tippett knows (from when he was coaching in Dallas), a very good penalty-killer, also the contract of Chris Pronger. He has a big cap charge ($4.9 million), but we have plenty of room. It’s a low salary to us. In no way or shape will Chris ever play for us, unfortunately.”
Philadelphia has retained some ($500,000) of Grossman’s salary, too.
“I thought once I got adjusted (to the Oilers trade), I had a good second half in Arizona,” Gagner said. “Coming from Edmonton, I had a lot invested emotionally, trying to help turns things around and, obviously, I didn’t do that. Getting traded for the first time was different, but I played some good hockey in the second half in a tough situation. Obviously, we weren’t a very good team,” he said.
The buyout idea is a kick in the head for a player who is only 25.
“It’s a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, but there’s still a lot of summer left,” said Gagner.
If he does get bought out, he could then shop himself to any team as a free agent.
“I’m in a good mental framework though,” he said. “I’m excited to prove to people I can play and be effective. Whatever happens, I’d say next year could be the most important year of my career.”
Arizona didn’t give Gagner a heads-up that they might be dealing him until Friday.
“We’ll talk about all of our options. We’ve got to get our numbers (salaries) in order,” said Flyers general manager Ron Hextall, who is trying to trade Luke Schenn and Vincent Lecavalier.
Gagner, who still bleeds orange and blue to a degree, has been following the Connor McDavid buzz in Edmonton.
“I’m excited for Connor and Edmonton,” he said. “I invested a lot emotionally there, as I’ve said. Looks like good moves are being made and I’m happy for the fans and the city.
“I’d love to see Edmonton win. I still have lots of friends there and talk to guys on the team regularly.”