News Article: Gagne on Flyers: 'I can't believe I'm not back'

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

It's funny when people put on sob stories for guys who are professional athletes and make millions upon millions of dollars a year to play a game, like they're victims of capitalism, working on a plantation in South America for 10 cents a day. He hasn't been taken advantage of, he hasn't been dicked over, he deserves no sympathy for not being offered another paper guaranteeing him millions. It's a business and he and his agent should understand that. If they didn't devise a backup plan, that's their own fault.

I'm a gagne fan, yes. I'm a gagne fan because he was a flyer, not a flyer fan because of gagne.

 

[GKJ]

http://www.delcotimes.com/20130914/gagne-regrets-complaints-about-holmgren-flyers

PHILADELPHIA — Simon Gagne said Saturday he regretted comments made earlier in the week to a reporter for the Montreal French-language newspaper La Presse that were critical of Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren, and detailed Gagne’s opinion that he was wronged by the organization.

In the article, which caused a bit of a stir over the weekend when an English translation of the story was posted on an “unofficial fansite” entitled simongagne.com, Gagne is quoted as saying Holmgren’s reported contract offer to fellow unrestricted free agent Dan Cleary “was like a slap in the face.”

...

Saying he didn’t “like to (say) stuff like that,” Gagne pointed out he was “willing to go to the camp as a tryout at the end.

“Maybe I regretted a little bit that I said (that), because I’ve got too much respect (for) the Flyers,” Gagne said in the text. “But it was not a good day for me.”

 

[Spongolium*]

I wonder if he regrets what he said, since he has doesn't have any offers on the table and Cleary signed in Detroit.

 

[funghoul]

It's funny when people put on sob stories for guys who are professional athletes and make millions upon millions of dollars a year to play a game, like they're victims of capitalism, working on a plantation in South America for 10 cents a day. He hasn't been taken advantage of, he hasn't been dicked over, he deserves no sympathy for not being offered another paper guaranteeing him millions. It's a business and he and his agent should understand that. If they didn't devise a backup plan, that's their own fault.

I'm a gagne fan, yes. I'm a gagne fan because he was a flyer, not a flyer fan because of gagne.

Nobody feels bad for gagne. your missing the point. their just saying holmgren's a dick for not saying we don't want you. good luck finding another team, loser. which is what he meant. ironic isn't it?

 

[flyershockey]

Nobody feels bad for gagne. your missing the point. their just saying holmgren's a dick for not saying we don't want you. good luck finding another team, loser. which is what he meant. ironic isn't it?

What? Gagne isn't a good fit for the team, hence he wasn't invited to camp. Gagne got a chance last year to prove his worth, and he showed that he hasn't just lost a step, he's lost about 5 steps.

 

[BleedOrange]

Move on

 

[FlyingPhilly]

It was reported that Vinny left money on the table to sign with the Flyers (according to his agent). Now I know it's his agent but you people are taking Carter's agent & Gagne's agent for their word here when it shed's a negative light but not Vinny's when it does the opposite.

This is 100%+ correct. If you believe Carter's agent, why do you not believe Vinny's agent? Shouldn't have more than one standard for stuff like this.

 

[Boxscore]

For all that Paul Holmgren expresses about loyalty, he seems to have greatly mishandled discussions with Simon Gagne. The least you can do as a GM is be upfront with a player over if you have a genuine interest in him. If they aren't even interested in inviting Gagne to camp, he deserved to know that a long time ago.

Just maybe Gagne's agent shouldn't have priced his client out of a job. This isn't the first time Suave requested more money from the Flyers than they were prepared to offer.

 

[funghoul]

What? Gagne isn't a good fit for the team, hence he wasn't invited to camp. Gagne got a chance last year to prove his worth, and he showed that he hasn't just lost a step, he's lost about 5 steps.

I know. I'm not disagreeing with that. everyone with eyes knows gagne sucks now and we have too many younger, quicker players who need roster spots for even less money and more cap room. the point was.....ah who cares. i don't care anymore. I'm getting outta here.

 

[AaronTrieu]

I'm speaking purely as a fan of Gagne. His skills have certainly declined, but he couldn't be asking for that much. The Flyers have paid 4th line goons over 1m/season to spend half it in the press box. We've seen the Flyers make worse decisions lately. If he signs and doesn't perform, sit him. I still think he can play positionally, and he doesn't need to be the fastest guy on the ice any more.

 

[GKJ]

I'm speaking purely as a fan of Gagne. His skills have certainly declined, but he couldn't be asking for that much. The Flyers have paid 4th line goons over 1m/season to spend half it in the press box. We've seen the Flyers make worse decisions lately. If he signs and doesn't perform, sit him. I still think he can play positionally, and he doesn't need to be the fastest guy on the ice any more.

They couldn't give another one-way contract out like that.

 

[RonHextall27]

They couldn't give another one-way contract out like that.

This is exactly what I was about to post. Signing Gagne has more implications than most see. First off he is another contract against the limit, next he is a number against the cap, and lastly when he gets injured, which is a certainty, he creates a cap problem for calling up another player. There are just too many negatives to bringing him back, regardless of how emotional people get about him.

It's time to let one of the young guys come up and fill that spot.

 

[dingbathero]

This is exactly what I was about to post. Signing Gagne has more implications than most see. First off he is another contract against the limit, next he is a number against the cap, and lastly when he gets injured, which is a certainty, he creates a cap problem for calling up another player. There are just too many negatives to bringing him back, regardless of how emotional people get about him.

It's time to let one of the young guys come up and fill that spot.

Good to see Hexy back (in Philly and) on the boards... been a while I see (or rare)

 

[Embiid]

This is exactly what I was about to post. Signing Gagne has more implications than most see. First off he is another contract against the limit, next he is a number against the cap, and lastly when he gets injured, which is a certainty, he creates a cap problem for calling up another player. There are just too many negatives to bringing him back, regardless of how emotional people get about him.

It's time to let one of the young guys come up and fill that spot.

Thank you! People should have gotten over Gagne even before the debate started on here. I'm glad he is out of the picture. Flyers shouldnt feel guilty about him at all...time to move on from Gagne 2005 and 2010

 

[Tripod]

As I said on the main board, maybe Gagne should have been concerned when Homer let him get to be a UFA. And then again when he got no offer then. Maybe after being a UFA for 2 months and having not even a PTO signed he should have been concerned.

Maybe someone could email him a link to Capgeek so he can see what we have all seen during the summer. NO CAP SPACE WITHOUT A TRADE.

 

[captainpaxil]

I was In the fire Holmgren camp last year and this just puts me further into I. the flyers are a class organization and homer just doesn't operate that way.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I was In the fire Holmgren camp last year and this just puts me further into I. the flyers are a class organization and homer just doesn't operate that way.

Talk about an overreaction....

 

[kovatroll*]

It's the fact that they jerked him around the whole offseason making him think he was gonna have a shot at making the team. If they didn't want him, they should've been up-front with him from the beginning.

You're spot on man, ignore the homer ass kissers who think that management can do no wrong. Every fan base has them.

 

[Larry44]

It was reported that Vinny left money on the table to sign with the Flyers (according to his agent). Now I know it's his agent but you people are taking Carter's agent & Gagne's agent for their word here when it shed's a negative light but not Vinny's when it does the opposite.

I think Vinnie himself admitted he left money on the table. Both he and Streit were effusive in their happiness at playing in Philly. Both their deals were very good in terms of price and term.

I just get ticked when people must make stuff up like, 'this will hurt them signing UFAs or cost more.' It's just not true. We bought out Briere and he had nothing but nice things to say.

It's pretty clear, if only based on tonight, that Mason Raymond was the UFA LW we should have invited to camp. Raffl is alleged to be a similar players, let's hope. McGinn had some good play around the net, but hasn't improved his speed.

 

[Stephen]

http://www.delcotimes.com/20130914/gagne-regrets-complaints-about-holmgren-flyers

Looks even worse on Gagne, who is just begging to be taken back by a franchise who has clearly moved on...

 

[markzab]

Looks even worse on Gagne, who is just begging to be taken back by a franchise who has clearly moved on...

Sounds more to me like he's selling himself and his abilities to a club for this coming season...which he should be doing.

 

[ApeZilla]

I still feel like gagne must have wanted too much, I can't see the flyers not signing him if it was a good deal.

 

[ORYX]

Count me into the boat that is happy Gagne isnt back, but upset with this news that he feels he was strung along.

 

[StevensCakeBakerBacker]

Count me into the boat that is happy Gagne isnt back, but upset with this news that he feels he was strung along.

This is ultimately my issues with the anti-Holmgren group. I don't think the guy is perfect, but he is not responsible for how Gagne, and his camp, perceive a situation. One side of the story comes out, from a party with motive, and people jump all over Holmgren. Do you honestly think the agent/attorney/PR shill for the player is just telling the honest truth? If you do, that's pretty damn naive.

Holmgren does what's best for the team, and being 100% transparent would sink a club very quickly. Gagne is upset he doesn't have a contract with any team, and his camp is trying to paint Holmgren as the sole reason for the lack of contract. Do you expect the agent/Gagne to say there is no contract because he's an older, injury prone, high cost v. production player?

 

[Embiid]

I'm not the biggest Holmgren fan but I give credit where it is due although I still think Hextall was more of the voice of reason with respect to shelving Gagne.

People are acting like Holmgren/Hextall and the Flyers dissed Wayne Gretzky or something. It's pretty comical.

Maybe the Flyers didn't act in good faith and strung him along but again as Gagne himself is now backpeddling, he shouldn't feel a sense of entitlement. Him and his agent look like two dopes. I mean the saying "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" has been stated since time immemorial. Yet he comes out and states that him and his agent did just that. Both of them need to go to a community college and take Basic Business 101 or Marketing 101.