Did Sam Gagner become smarter this time?

[plikestechno]

Arcobello being here is finally showing what a joke this guy is and how bad our C depth was and still is. If he wasn't drafted 1/7 he wouldn't be getting the preferential treatment he's always enjoyed while passing the same feelings of entitlement down through the future stars.

 

[I am the Liquor]

What is up with this coach's love affair with Gagner? I don't care if he's over his injury or not, he clearly can't get anything going offensively and is a complete liability defensively. He is, in effect, useless. And yet he's out there taking the draw at the end?

Eakins used to play with Dave Gagner, Sam's dad.

 

[Gret99zky]

 

[tiger_80]

Pretty much epitomizes this inept franchise from top to bottom.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

If management wants to keep their word to Gagner and ice a winning team, they had damn well better get a couple of power forwards that can play solid defense to flank him with. Because quite frankly the guy is a mess defensively and if we want an all offense and no defense 2C then we need to get the right players to surround him with. Personally I would've traded his ass this past offseason while his value was perceived to be high. Instead our great GM in essence gave him 3 years at a shade under $5 million a pop and 2 of them came with NTC's. Thank God that MacT came back to the Oilers to pull us out of the sewer and lead us instead into a massive **** fire.

 

[GDU]

Please change title of this thread "Did gagner become awful'r this time?"

 

[Stoneman89]

Of course he became smarter. He and his agent signed a big fat contract with part of it with a NTC in it. Pretty darned smart, I'd say.

 

[harpoon]

Please change title of this thread "Did gagner become awful'r this time?"

Ot how about "this thread again, still not smarter"?

 

[CorpseFX]

i hate him more now

 

[thadd]

I don't hate on the guy. Everyone knew what we were getting when we drafted him. He's worked his but off to become a better player every year. He's gone through a lot of bad seasons and a lot of coaches.

If you ask me, this is Kevin Lowe's fault. Gagner would've undoubtedly turned into a much better player if he had spent a few more years in the CHL before going upto the AHL for at least one season.

Let's take Logan Couture, for example. Let's say he was drafted by Edmonton and we had him playing as an 18 year old. Do you think he'd be half the player he is now?

Let's even take Edmonton out of the equation. Let's say the Sharks had him playing in the NHL as an 18 year old. There's no way he would have developed so well.

When we drafted Gagner we got an offensive wizard who needed work on his skating and defensive play. If he'd spent time in the juniors and the AHL I'm sure a lot of his issues would have been ironed out.

The NHL is not a great developmental league because players play too much and don't have enough time to reflect upon and adjust their play. Take that and add a losing atmosphere where the coaches are getting fired every year.

If Gagner doesn't come back from this, it shouldn't be a surprise and at the same time we can't be angry at him. We must direct our anger towards Kevin Lowe for putting him through this horrible situation.

 

[Tirefire]

I agree part of the Oilers problem is bringing in young players far too early and not letting them develop their full game. That said, what's done is done. Gagner should have been traded in the off season when his value was high and contract negotiable. Now he has become the Oilers new Horcoff. An player overpaid on the basis of having one good (half) year, a player playing outside of his capabilities with expectations beyond what he can provide. Were stuck with him with his terrible contract.

 

[Tirefire]

Now show him on the full no stride glide back check.

 

[McSuper]

Every time Sammy lost a face off The universe loss some planets and now Bryzgalov is going to freak out . You can screw with Bryzgalov universe and expect him to do nothing

 

[GDU]

Now show him on the full no stride glide back check.

seriously someone should make a 10min youtube video with just this, i'm sure there is ample footage, it is a staple of his game

 

[nabob]

But he is still so young...

 

[bleed_oil]

Gagner is an awful hockey player. Everything that is wrong with this team. Small, no physical dimension, horrible at faceoffs, brutal defensively and cheats for offense, only has a spot on the team cause he is a top 10 pick and his dad played in the NHL.
Brutal. Makes me sick.

 

[Seedling]

Arcobello being here is finally showing what a joke this guy is and how bad our C depth was and still is. If he wasn't drafted 1/7 he wouldn't be getting the preferential treatment he's always enjoyed while passing the same feelings of entitlement down through the future stars.

Bingo.

 

[CanadianSuperPromise]

Maybe it's all that dip he's packing.

 

[Seedling]

I don't hate on the guy. Everyone knew what we were getting when we drafted him. He's worked his but off to become a better player every year. He's gone through a lot of bad seasons and a lot of coaches.

If you ask me, this is Kevin Lowe's fault. Gagner would've undoubtedly turned into a much better player if he had spent a few more years in the CHL before going upto the AHL for at least one season.

Let's take Logan Couture, for example. Let's say he was drafted by Edmonton and we had him playing as an 18 year old. Do you think he'd be half the player he is now?

Let's even take Edmonton out of the equation. Let's say the Sharks had him playing in the NHL as an 18 year old. There's no way he would have developed so well.

When we drafted Gagner we got an offensive wizard who needed work on his skating and defensive play. If he'd spent time in the juniors and the AHL I'm sure a lot of his issues would have been ironed out.

The NHL is not a great developmental league because players play too much and don't have enough time to reflect upon and adjust their play. Take that and add a losing atmosphere where the coaches are getting fired every year.

If Gagner doesn't come back from this, it shouldn't be a surprise and at the same time we can't be angry at him. We must direct our anger towards Kevin Lowe for putting him through this horrible situation.

It's his fifth or sixth year in the league. Coaches have worked with him to get his D better, draws etc. Other players have been able to do this. Why not Sam?

I do think your argument has merit, but at some point improvement in the areas he needs improvement on are very much a skill-set that can be learned. Coaches have tried and failed. At what point is the player to take some responsibility for this?

Arcobello was thrown to the wolves this year, granted he played university hockey, but he has done well. I do think they rushed Gagener though. No argument there.

 

[McDynasty]

Gagner learns all the time. Hew will never be top face off man in Nhl but he will enter to 48-52% in his peak years (25-32 years old)

He will be consistent point producer 50-65pts a year and you will see him to be prennial plus player too.

He is a keeper IMO. I hope we can afford him the next contract which can be more than 6M depending on cap development

He hasn't ever got more than 50 points a season ever. And he is not worth 6mil...Ever..

 

[McClelland]

Gags couldn't check a suitcase at an airport we couldn't trade him if we wanted to.

Thats was my biggest fear with that 3 year extension! At 4.8 a year we are stucked with him for all contract years, Horc had a worse lenght but he could we use in all lines and all situations.

Gagner isnt as bad as he looks right now, hope he turn around his offensive game and gain some intrest on the trademarket.

This is all about the org. and also Freakin Eakins fault, overreact to a shortened season with a lot of 2 assists and pp points. Arcobello(at 600k) in his short stint has showied how bad Gagners contract really are

Hope they trade Eberle before hes untradable , 6 million is what the sedin earned in their last contract, that on a one dimensional player. Hasnt the clowns in the front office heard about bridge contracts?

 

[tempest2i]

So, I was listening to Spector today and it got me thinking. Do you think Sam Gagner coming into this year has something to prove as a number 1 center or 1 A? No, he knows RNH is the #1 I mean, how long has he played center with the Oil? This is his 6th year 4yrs? :-/ One would think, Sam would of worked extra over the summer to hone in on his faceoff draws with his big ass fat raise wouldnt he? I'm not sure Sam is fat, or what that has to do with faceoffs... so let's go with it What was Gagner's FO% last year??? 43.9%, NHL.com has stats, their interface is not hard to use I might be wrong but at least 35% winning. Countless times i have watched him over the last few years lose important draws and then his man. Not only did it cost us goals but puck possession. Gagner must have some smart hockey sense to work extra hard at winning draws? I'm not sure where you're going with this Dont you think??? I think all the time. At this point I think your rant seems misguided

Answers in bold.

So... you hate Gagner. I'll give you points for actually spelling his name correctly.

 

[Stoneman89]

I don't hate on the guy. Everyone knew what we were getting when we drafted him. He's worked his but off to become a better player every year. He's gone through a lot of bad seasons and a lot of coaches.

If you ask me, this is Kevin Lowe's fault. Gagner would've undoubtedly turned into a much better player if he had spent a few more years in the CHL before going upto the AHL for at least one season.

Let's take Logan Couture, for example. Let's say he was drafted by Edmonton and we had him playing as an 18 year old. Do you think he'd be half the player he is now?

Let's even take Edmonton out of the equation. Let's say the Sharks had him playing in the NHL as an 18 year old. There's no way he would have developed so well.

When we drafted Gagner we got an offensive wizard who needed work on his skating and defensive play. If he'd spent time in the juniors and the AHL I'm sure a lot of his issues would have been ironed out.

The NHL is not a great developmental league because players play too much and don't have enough time to reflect upon and adjust their play. Take that and add a losing atmosphere where the coaches are getting fired every year.

If Gagner doesn't come back from this, it shouldn't be a surprise and at the same time we can't be angry at him. We must direct our anger towards Kevin Lowe for putting him through this horrible situation.

Disagree. They may have brought him in too early, but he is what he is at this point. Playing him another 2 years in junior or a couple seasons in the AHL would likely have produced the same player that he is now. Maybe back then it might have hurt him, but he's now plateaud to what he is. I'm not angry at Gagner either, but he needs to be moved for a better player and a better fit. It should have been done a lot earlier too. And for that, you and I should be mad at Lowe, et al. Not to mention a whole crapload of other things.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Gagner is an awful hockey player. Everything that is wrong with this team. Small, no physical dimension, horrible at faceoffs, brutal defensively and cheats for offense, only has a spot on the team cause he is a top 10 pick and his dad played in the NHL.
Brutal. Makes me sick.

Too bad that MacT thinks that he's a core piece here

 

[bleed_oil]

Too bad that MacT thinks that he's a core piece here

Seriously. What can one say? Its almost unspeakable the frustration you get when average fans like us can see what the issues are and these dummies in the front office making big bucks are pushing guys like Gagner down our collective throats.
The worst thing is that because of the double standard on this team, Gagner hasn't improved. Maybe they could have forced him to be accountable, backcheck, improve at faceoffs, throw the occasional hit - but because he is a part of the select group of players that standards dont apply to, he is essentially the same guy who played on this team as a 19 year old - in fact he may have gotten worse with time.