The Detroit Red Wings have agreed to re-sign Sam Gagner to a one-year deal. This carries him through the end of the 2021-22 season. Terms are yet to be disclosed.
#RedWings re-sign Sam Gagner to a one-year deal.
— Brennan Klak (@nhlupdate) July 28, 2021
Red Wings Bring Back Sam Gagner
Long expected to be sellers at the deadline, the Wings signed Gagner in the offseason to a one-year, $850,000 deal. However, Gagner proved himself to be a valuable player on the rebuilding squad.
In Gagner, Detroit keeps solid two-way centre who brings a veteran presence. Gagner has excelled as a third-line depth forward in the NHL for the last 14 seasons. This year, he scored seven goals and eight assists for 15 points, in addition to 15 penalty minutes.
Those totals sit on-par with the levels of production and puck possession he showed over the course of his career. Last season, he scored six goals and seven assists for 13 points between the Edmonton Oilers and Wings. Over his 14-year NHL career Gagner has played for the Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, and Red Wings. In that time, he has 171 goals and 303 assists for 474 career points in 886 career games. He was originally drafted in the first round, sixth overall of the2007 NHL draft by the Oilers.
What This Means for the Future
Detroit is in the middle of a rebuild and Gagner has been a solid veteran. At the season’s start, Gagner was one of a handful of players many expected to see dealt at the deadline. However, Detroit didn’t find a suitor and/or decided to keep him.
The veteran presence he provides could help the Wings take another step forward. He adds depth to their forward group down the middle. Gagner fills a variety of roles, with special teams experience and nearly 900 career games under his belt. He may potentially earning some minutes on the second powerplay unit.
