Confirmed Trade: [EDM/VAN] Canucks trade Sam Gagner to Edmonton for Ryan Spooner

[MarkusNaslund19]

Gagner has always been good playing top 6 and pp put up good numbers everywhere . problem when he drop down in line up . if he still as his speed he will be with mcd can do everything playmaking shoot pass . great pick up for oilers

He never had speed and it has gotten appreciably worse.

 

[Lunatik]

Right now they have 14 FWDs and 8 D-men in pro (Sekera included)... So yes, Pulju down is the most natural, esspecially after the Gagner trade.

They made an additional transaction after I looked at the time of the Gagner trade. At that point in time Benning was still listed on the roster and not on IR and Gagner had not been recalled.

 

[DoobieDubas]

Honestly I’m fine with this. Gagner always looked better on the wing and we need wingers badly.

this is a good trade for you guys

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

It’s a trade where both players needed a change of scenery and who knows who will benifit more. People that think Gagne is better are just out to lunch as I’d bet he has an even less chance at rejuvenating his career being the older one.
Spooner could pay dividends for the Canucks in a second line roll with Horvat as his Center and second unit power play.

For those who say Canucks lost this trade are out to lunch. Gagne was playing for the Leafs affiliate and we were still paying him to do so.

Win for the Canucks.

 

[PetterssonSimp]

He’s been a half decent player before. Is it wrong to be optimistic about a guy who has shown something in the past that we acquired for basically nothing? What is actually the problem here?

Sam Gagner set an NHL record for points in a single game! You wanna try that again bud?

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Why? Canucks take on an extra 1 mill cap hit for another smaller useless player

Nope.

$900K was retained by the Rangers.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Gagner was deployed perfectly in Columbus. There literally wasn't a better spot for him in the league.
They were a team filled with guys who could win battles, grind, retrieve pucks, and short on playmaking skill.

They hid Gagner on the 4th line and put him in the bumper spot on the powerplay.

Unfortunately Benning was fooled by this into giving him a 3 year contract. He is soft, slow, and mostly useless. I will say that I believe that he is a good teammate and he tries his best. He just doesn't have it. He loses every battle he is ever in. He will surprise you with the odd sublime bit of playmaking.
He was also on loan to another franchise's AHL squad. This literally cannot be a loss for the Canucks because at the very least Spooner will fill a centre vacancy for Utica.


Spooner is a guy who has always impressed me when I have watched extended highlights. There are a few of these guys in the league who clearly aren't that great but somehow seem to stand out whenever I watch highlights. Another example is Brock McGinn. Decent player, but somehow is noticeable every time I watch Hurricanes highlights.
I know Spooner is a good passer and playmaker. I also know that he is terrible defensively and has been beyond horrible in Edmonton. However, Edmonton is so dysfunctional that I can see taking a gamble on a change of scenery. We also get a chance to try him with Pettersson or Horvat and see if he can recover his 41 point in 59 game form.

It's definitely not a bad move for Edmonton and I think it's a fair to decent move for the Canucks.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Nothing wrong there, you can keep hoping that Louis Eriksson will be a good player again..

Eriksson is a useful player. He is just grotesquely overpaid. He is a smart player who wins lot's of battles and doesn't really hurt you. If he was making 2 million per year nobody would have a problem with him.
But the contract...yeah, it sucks.

 

[biturbo19]

Just when you think the Oilers couldn't turn Eberle into anything less...they find a way to turn him into less than nothing.

I like it for the Canucks. With the Rangers still retaining salary on Spooner, Vancouver has basically turned $3M of minor leaguer playing for a different organization, into a $3M rebound candidate. Spooner isn't any kind of world-beater, has a pretty limited specialty skillset where he'll need to be put in good offensive situations to be worth anything...but the Canucks are in a position to at least give it a shot. I don't think he's as bad as he looked with the Oilers, and considering the way these things often seem to work out...i think that's a fair bet to take.

There's a fantastic poetry in the Oilers turning Eberle through a prolonged series of transactions over the years...into one of the core members of that "first rebuild" crew. And honestly...Gagner may help them marginally on the PP as a RH shot who can still contribute a bit there. Just so long as they don't expect Gagner to be able to do anything else useful.

But as a whole, i'd be much more inclined to bet on Spooner bouncing back outside of the Oilers, over Gagner somehow rejuvenating his career at this stage.

 

[Red Piller]

Sam Gagner set an NHL record for points in a single game! You wanna try that again bud?

Not really considering the level of intelligence I’m dealing with here. Good day sir

 

[Deen]

Weird trade combo.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

It’s a trade where both players needed a change of scenery and who knows who will benifit more. People that think Gagne is better are just out to lunch as I’d bet he has an even less chance at rejuvenating his career being the older one.
Spooner could pay dividends for the Canucks in a second line roll with Horvat as his Center and second unit power play.

For those who say Canucks lost this trade are out to lunch. Gagne was playing for the Leafs affiliate and we were still paying him to do so.

Win for the Canucks.

Naw, you’re being way too optimistic here.

When Spooner isn’t in the offensive zone, he vanishes. Hell, when he doesn’t have the puck at all, you have no idea if he’s actually playing or not.

This isn’t a case of the Oilers ruining him. It’s a case of a player being bad.

 

[Haatley]

God... Oilers management is never gonna get better. What a joke.

 

[Scott Stevens]

Sam Gagner set an NHL record for points in a single game! You wanna try that again bud?

Is this sarcastic?

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Fill on the blank....

Change of ______ trade

 

[DecadeofDarkness22]

this trade has lowe all over it...

 

[PetterssonSimp]

Is this sarcastic?

That was kinda the point bud.

 

[Scott Stevens]

That was kinda the point bud.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

If both teams are calling their guy up and get use out of them then it’s a win-win.

 

[me2]

This trade is beyond stupid! Especially after reading IMac tweet about Spooner most likely getting a call up to Vancouver!

This trade makes sense for both teams.

Canucks have been paying Gagner to play for Toronto's farm team. He's not even helping our AHL prospects. Spooner will get a look but I doubt it is more than that, he's likely headed to Utica in the long run.

Edmonton, they have nothing to lose. Gagner might be a tiny bit better.

 

[A91]

Gagner was deployed perfectly in Columbus. There literally wasn't a better spot for him in the league.
They were a team filled with guys who could win battles, grind, retrieve pucks, and short on playmaking skill.

They hid Gagner on the 4th line and put him in the bumper spot on the powerplay.

Unfortunately Benning was fooled by this into giving him a 3 year contract. He is soft, slow, and mostly useless. I will say that I believe that he is a good teammate and he tries his best. He just doesn't have it. He loses every battle he is ever in. He will surprise you with the odd sublime bit of playmaking.
He was also on loan to another franchise's AHL squad. This literally cannot be a loss for the Canucks because at the very least Spooner will fill a centre vacancy for Utica.


Spooner is a guy who has always impressed me when I have watched extended highlights. There are a few of these guys in the league who clearly aren't that great but somehow seem to stand out whenever I watch highlights. Another example is Brock McGinn. Decent player, but somehow is noticeable every time I watch Hurricanes highlights.
I know Spooner is a good passer and playmaker. I also know that he is terrible defensively and has been beyond horrible in Edmonton. However, Edmonton is so dysfunctional that I can see taking a gamble on a change of scenery. We also get a chance to try him with Pettersson or Horvat and see if he can recover his 41 point in 59 game form.

It's definitely not a bad move for Edmonton and I think it's a fair to decent move for the Canucks.

Spooner at center would be a bad idea imo. If you think Gagner is soft and useless (which he is, big time) just wait until you see Spooner.
Like you said though this is a win-win (or lose-lose), neither were going to excel in the situations they were in.

 

[King1s]

Circle of life

 

[Chayos]

We are not expecting 8 point games out of Gagner, but he will add skill into our top9. In limited engagement I liked Cave, Rattie and Gagner. This would be a nice 3rd line if we just had some help for RNH on the second line.

 

[Stephen]

What's funny is Jordan Eberle only has 26 points all season for the Islanders but that's somehow still more points than Strome (14), Spooner (5) and Gagner combined (0).

 

[PetterssonSimp]

This trade makes sense for both teams.

Canucks have been paying Gagner to play for Toronto's farm team. He's not even helping our AHL prospects. Spooner will get a look but I doubt it is more than that, he's likely headed to Utica in the long run.

Edmonton, they have nothing to lose. Gagner might be a tiny bit better.

You’re basing this off the idea that Benning actually papers Spooner down after he’s already getting the recall once Vancouver returns home after tonight’s game. After last year with Motte, I highly doubt this happen since it didn’t last time!