Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Should the Oilers trade Gagner?

Edmonton Oilers v Philadelphia Flyers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 08: Sam Gagner #89 of the Edmonton Oilers skates with the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on March 8, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

Getty Images

We’re a little late to the party on this one (it’s fashionable, right?), but the New York Post wrote yesterday that the New Jersey Devils “might have” spoken to the Edmonton Oilers about acquiring 22-year-old center Sam Gagner.

Now, I’m not sure what “might have” means. Isn’t that kind of TMZish? Like, “Kim Kardashian might have been spotted at at the trendy New York lounge cuddled up next to...”

Anyway, here’s more from the Post:

It was said the Oilers would want young defensive prospects from New Jersey, probably defenseman Matt Taormina, whose No. 20 is now worn by Ryan Carter, and huge Alexander Urbom, both currently in Albany. It would seem they probably also would require a roster winger and draft pick.

Shopping Gagner does make a lot of sense for the Oilers. With Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Shawn Horcoff and Eric Belanger holding down the top three center spots, the sixth overall pick from the 2007 draft has been shifted to right wing on the third line. Not surprisingly, his minutes and production are down, though some of that could be due to an ankle injury he suffered in the preseason.

At any rate, Gagner isn’t the type of player that typically plays in the bottom six. He’s a skill guy, and an undersized one at that. Safe to say you can add his name to the list of trade candidates.