The Edmonton Oilers have agreed to trade Ryan Spooner to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Sam Gagner in a one-for-one trade.
Vancouver Canucks Trade Sam Gagner To Edmonton Oilers
Spooner headed to Vancouver for Gagner
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 16, 2019
Key Players
In Ryan Spooner, the Canucks get a player that is currently out of form but has had previous success and might profit from a (yet another) change of scenery. This season, Spooner has produced only five points in 41 games for the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers. His poor form has landed the 27-year-old in the AHL, where he has produced six points in seven games for the Bakersfield Condors. Spooner was drafted by the Boston Bruins at No. 45 overall back in 2010.
In Gagner, the Oilers bring back a formerly consistent 40-point scorer for them in the past, as well as a general veteran presence from a player that was originally drafted by the Oilers franchise. This season, Gagner scored three points in seven games for the Canucks before passing through waivers and getting loaned out to the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, where he has 37 points in 43 games. Gagner was drafted by the Oilers sixth overall in 2007.
What This Means for the Future
This is a deal where the Canucks and Oilers swap players who have become burdens to their high cap hits and poor performances on the NHL level. The Canucks might try Spooner out at different spots in the lineup, hoping he might catch fire and help them secure a wildcard spot in the Western Conference, but it is likely that Spooner will not produce much for the Canucks this season. Spooner has a $3.1M cap hit, as $900K of his contract is retained by the New York Rangers.
Oilers moving for Gagner seems to be a move just for the sake of a move by interim GM Keith Gretzky, hoping that bringing back a veteran who already spent seven seasons with the Oilers might give the team a jolt and that Gagner could bring some leadership into the locker room as a former alternate captain.
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