Sam William Gagner (born August 10, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL), while under contract to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Gagner was originally drafted by the Oilers in the first round, 6th overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, and played there for the first seven years of his NHL career. He also played one season each for the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Vancouver Canucks before returning to Edmonton in 2019; he was then traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 2020. After three years in Detroit followed by a season with the Winnipeg Jets, Gagner returned to Edmonton for a third tenure in 2023.
Playing career
Amateur
Gagner played midget hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) in 2004–05. He scored 173 points and was awarded the Buck Houle Award, a Marlboros team award given for outstanding on ice performance and leadership. The same season, he made his junior debut, playing 13 games for the Milton Icehawks of the OPJHL, scoring 15 points. His dad was the coach of his minor hockey career. In 2005–06, he joined the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and scored 46 points in 56 games, second in team scoring. Along the way, Gagner played with future NHLer John Tavares on the Marlboros and later the Icehawks. As early as 2002, the pair also honed their skills and became friends on a backyard rink built by Sam's dad Dave in Oakville.
Gagner originally committed to play hockey at the collegiate level for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but later decided to stay closer to home by playing for a Canadian major junior hockey team. Considered a first round talent, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s London Knights selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 OHL Entry Draft on a flyer, as his commitment to play college hockey deterred many OHL teams from drafting him. Joined by future NHL stars Patrick Kane and Sergei Kostitsyn on the Knights' top line in 2006–07, Gagner scored 118 points in 53 games, fifth in OHL scoring. He also captained Team Burns/Bergeron (Red) in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game to a 5–3 victory over Team Bowman/Demers (White).
Professional
Edmonton Oilers
Gagner was drafted in the first round, sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. On October 1, 2007, he was then signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Oilers. He played his first NHL game on October 4 in a 3–2 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks and earned his first NHL point, assisting on a goal scored by defenceman Tom Gilbert. On October 20, Gagner scored his first career NHL goal against Miikka Kiprusoff of the Calgary Flames.
As the NHL's youngest player in 2007–08, he tallied 49 points in 79 games playing between wingers and fellow rookies Andrew Cogliano and Robert Nilsson on a combination dubbed the "Kid Line." During the season, Gagner participated in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game in Atlanta as part of All-Star weekend and was also named the NHL Rookie of the Month for February. As part of a month-long scoring stretch in which he scored 13 points in 12 games, he also established an Oilers team record for the longest assists streak by a rookie with nine in eight straight games.
The next season, 2008–09, he recorded his first career NHL hat-trick and added an assist for a four-point game in an 8–1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on March 19, 2009. He finished his sophomore season with 16 goals and 41 points in 76 games. In the following two campaigns, he posted 41- and 42-point efforts.