Fan favourite Sam Gagner not returning to Oilers: report
An Edmonton Oilers fan favourite is moving on to another team.
Sam Gagner, who spent last season with the Oilers in what was his third separate stint with the club, will not be returning to Edmonton and is expected to sign a PTO with the Carolina Hurricanes.
PuckPedia was the first to report the news on social media.
Expecting 35 y/o F Sam Gagner to sign a PTO with Carolina #causechaos
10P in 28 GPhttps://t.co/INZN8qitIK
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) September 10, 2024
It’s been quite a ride for Gagner and the Oilers since he was drafted by the club in the first round of the 2008 NHL draft. He spent the first seven years of his NHL career before being traded from the team in 2014. Gagner then jumped around the league for a few seasons before returning to the Oilers for a brief one-year stint that saw Edmonton trade him once again.
After reaching the 1,000-game plateau with the Winnipeg Jets in 2022-23, Gagner then came back to the Alberta capital that summer where he parlayed a PTO into a one-year deal with the Oilers. During his latest stint with Edmonton, the 35-year-old veteran potted five goals and 10 points in 28 games.
His most memorable moment this past season was his two-goal season debut, which brought the Rogers Place crowd to its feet.
He was unable to crack the lineup for any of Edmonton’s playoff games during their run to the Stanley Cup Final.
While it would have been nice to see him play another year in Oilers threads, it appears that there wasn’t any room for his services in the lineup. Edmonton bolstered its depth throughout the offseason and has a few players set to compete for spots out of the AHL.
Oilers fans will be wishing Gagner well as he tries to continue his career with the Hurricanes. If he manages to land a contract, this will be the eighth NHL team that Gagner has played for, joining the Oilers, Jets, Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, and Philadelphia Flyers.