Earlier this week news broke that the Columbus Blue Jackets had finally signed a free agent going into the 2016-17 season. For the long-time fans, there isn’t much hope that free agency is going to offer anything of significance to the organization. However, Sam Gagner could very well be an absolute steal for a franchise that has otherwise a very poor history in free agency.
Sam Gagner is a Free Agent Steal for the Columbus Blue Jackets
Comparing Gagner To The Best
The first thing that needs to be assessed when making this call is the history the Blue Jackets have had with free agents. It’s a widely held opinion among the fanbase that David Vyborny was the best free agent signing the club has ever made, almost by default. With 317 points in 543 games during his time with Columbus, it’s safe to say that Vyborny had a very respectable NHL career. However, when you’re comparing him to the likes of Curtis McElhinney, Jack Skille, Ron Tugnutt, Nathan Horton, and others of that calibre, it’s easy to see him as the best free agent signing ever.
Moving on to Gagner and the numbers he’s put up during his nine year NHL career thus far. In 615 games in the NHL, Gagner has scored 124 goals and accumulated 352 total points. When you look at those numbers in comparison to Vyborny, Gagner is scoring at a rate just about on par with the former. If he’s able to put up 40-plus points this season with the Blue Jackets, he will likely be staying for longer than just a single season. Still just 26-years-old, if Gagner fills the role effectively; he could be a long-term solution in the Blue Jackets lineup.
Where Gagner Could Fit In
It is fairly clear where Gagner will fit in with the Blue Jackets for the upcoming season. It will likely be in the center of the ice. Seeing as the depth at the center position has been something in need of improvement, Gagner could fill a major need.
Predicting The Depth Chart
The likely depth chart at the center position will have Brandon Dubinsky getting much of the first line minutes. After that is a bit of a toss-up though, and seems to become a matter of opinion on the next three players involved: Gagner, Alex Wennberg, and William Karlsson. It’s an undeniable fact that all three of these players bring something to the table for Columbus. It will likely have one of the two Swedes playing on the fourth line, and that’s not a bad thing for depth.
After Dubinsky slots in on the first line, the depth chart will likely see Alex Wennberg and Sam Gagner rotating between the second and third line. As most fans in Columbus are well aware of, Wennberg is a phenomenal talent with a massive ceiling. Wennberg should be the choice as the second line center, pushing the new signing down to third line minutes.
With the signing of Gagner, and the current crop of centers the Blue Jackets have on their NHL roster, the fans could be in for a much more successful and consistent season in the middle of the ice. And, as was the case last year, look for coach John Tortorella to rotate the bottom three centers from line to line to find the right mixture for future success in the Buckeye state. Gagner should get plenty of opportunities to do what he does best, provide an offensive spark in a secondary scoring role. Given that he is making barely above league minimum, and with this track record, he could be a brilliant addition.
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