Unrestricted free agent center Sam Gagner will attempt to continue his NHL career in the Senators organization. He’s signed a professional tryout with their AHL affiliate in Belleville, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports Friday.
Gagner, 35, has been on the open market since the Oilers opted not to renew his two-way deal for 2023-24. He’s sat at home for most of the campaign after failing to land a contract from the Hurricanes during a PTO with them during training camp. However, he did travel to Switzerland to captain Team Canada to a semifinal loss at the 2024 Spengler Cup.
The veteran of 1,043 NHL games will suit up for the B-Sens tonight, per Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic, marking the first time in his career that he’s seen AHL action in back-to-back seasons. He recorded nine points in 15 games for AHL Bakersfield last season after falling out of Edmonton’s NHL forward rotation and clearing waivers.
While Gagner has been limited by hip surgery and a concussion over the past two seasons, he’s still been a reasonably effective fourth-line producer when dressed. He has 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points in 76 games since the beginning of the 2022-23 season with the Jets and Oilers.
Whether he still has NHL utility after missing half the campaign remains to be seen, but he’ll at least get the chance to land a two-way deal from the Sens before the trade deadline. He’s a more experienced recall option by far than their current rotation of names like Matthew Highmore, Jan Jeník, and Cole Reinhardt – experience that could come in handy as Ottawa battles to end their eight-year postseason drought down the stretch.
Gagner, the sixth overall pick of the 2007 draft, has 197 goals and 332 assists for 529 career NHL points across three stints in Edmonton plus ones in Arizona, Philadelphia, Columbus, Vancouver, Detroit, and Winnipeg. The Sens would be his fourth Canadian team if he lands a deal and adds to his NHL tallies.