Former 6th overall pick, Sam Gagner signs with Edmonton Oilers to bigger contract –NHL Update
Sam Gagner, a Canadian professional hockey player, has signed a third deal with Edmonton Oilers of National Hockey League (NHL), with time period of his contract getting shorter and shorter with time.
His entry-level contract was a three-year deal, second was a two-year deal and his latest contract for one-year only, though he has got an increment of almost $ 1 million.
The 22-year-old centre, who will turn 23 on the 10th of the next month, started his hockey career in Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) for Toronto Marlboros and amazed everyone with his display of hockey.
He scored 63 goals, 110 assists, 173 points in just 89 games and then played for Milton Icehawks in Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (OPJHL) next season.
Gagner changed the league again following season by going to United States Hockey League (USHL) and had an extra-ordinary 2006-2007 season with London Knights in Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as he got 35 goals, 83 assists to get total of 118 points.
In 2007 NHL draft, he has drafted 6th overall in the first round by Edmonton Oilers and was very shortly given an NHL entry-level contract, which he signed for three years with a cap hit of $1.625 million every year.
Having won gold medal with Canada’s international team at World Junior’s championship in the same year, Gagner was league’s youngest player in the 2007-2008, the season in which he got his highest point’s tally till now by getting 49 points.
London, Ontario born player, scored 40+ points in all five seasons of NHL getting 41, 41, 42 and 47 points in 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 season respectively.
Edmonton Oilers’ assistant general manager, Ricky Olczyk said about Gagner that,
“Sam’s absolutely part of our core, one of our young guys, still only 22 years old. He’s coming off a career year in goals and that NHL magnificent night of eight points against my native town of Chicago and the Blackhawks. We’re always looking for a longer
deal, but right now this is a perfect deal for both sides.”
Sam Gagner was also happy to sign the deal and get the thing forward as he said,
“You’re always looking for security and I want to be part of things going forward, but at the same time the one year works for both sides”.
Tags: