Curious Case: Art Gagne

sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
11,845
6,290
I found a statistically curious case in WCHL right winger Art Gagne of the Edmonton Eskimos. In 1922–23 he led the WCHL with 43 points, 6 points in front of teammate, and probably linemate, center Duke Keats. WCHL that season also played against the PCHA and with that league added only Frank Fredrickson of the Victoria Cougars, with 55 points, outscored Gagne.

Well, then Gagne gets traded to the Regina Capitals and puts up seasons with 14 and 15 points respectively. In 1925–26 Gagne is back with the Eskimos and puts up a monster season, 35 goals and 45 points in 24 games, and finish number one scoring, 1 point in front of Saskatoon's Bill Cook but in 6 lesser games. What happened there in Regina? Because he doesn't seem to have been a product of Duke Keats, especially not in 1925–26 when he outscored Keats substantially by 16 points in 6 lesser games.

The next five seasons, in the NHL, he puts up seasons with 17–30–10–11–30 points. The first three with the Canadiens and the last two mostly with the Senators. Again, quite the rollercoaster. Anyone got more info on this guy and why he fluctuated so much?
 

MS

1%er
Mar 18, 2002
53,362
83,428
Vancouver, BC
Decades before I was born, so this is only guesswork ...

But in the 1920s, the top unit of players played most of the game. Teams were only 10 or 11 players, and the first line would play ~40 minutes and the 2nd line ~20 minutes.

In Edmonton, Gagne was playing on the top line with a HHOFer in Keats and one of the best rushing defenders of his era in Bullet Joe Simpson.

When he was moved to Regina, they had an already established top line of George Hay-Dick Irvin-Barney Stanley, all of whom are in the HHOF. Gagne looks to have been relegated to the 2nd line, playing with inferior players.

Back in Edmonton, he's on the top line with Keats again and picks up where he left off.

Those two years in Regina might have cost Gagne a spot in the HHOF, interestingly.
 

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