Former Oilers Forward Ready for 18th NHL Season

A former Edmonton Oilers' forward is hoping to return for his 18th NHL season.

Jan 20, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers center Sam Gagner (89) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports / Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

When the Edmonton Oilers lost in the Stanley Cup Finals last season, they were without one of their fans' favorite players Sam Gagner. The Oilers had one of the most incredible playoff comebacks in NHL history, but Gagner was on the sidelines. An injury limited him to just 28 games in the regular season and he was a somewhat healthy scratch as his team stormed back from a 3-0 series deficit to force a game seven. The team fell short of their ultimate goal, leaving Gagner still without a Stanley Cup. Now, many are asking if he is ready to hang up his skates after 17 seasons.

But for the former Oilers' first-round draft pick, playing season 18 in the NHL is the plan. Now a year removed from double hip surgery and with another summer of injury rehab, Gagner believes he can still produce and is eager to prove that in 2024. He recently spoke with Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal and made his intentions for the upcoming season clear.

"I'm still hoping to play again," he said.

The veteran of more than 1,000 NHL games could still have some gas left in the tank. In 28 regular season games with the Oilers, he was a solid fourth-line forward. He had five goals and 10 points with just over 10 minutes of ice time. In his career, he's closing in on 200 career goals, with 197 and 529 total points.

Luckily for Gagner, the league still views him favorably. He might not receive an offer to return to the Oilers, but that doesn't mean he won't receive an offer to play in 2024. In a text message to Matheson, Gagner shared that he currently has several offers for profressional tryout agreements. He didn't confirm which teams reached out, but several are interested.

“I feel really good, so we will see what happens in the next month or so," he said. "I have some PTO offers and hopefully, I can get a contract. But we’ll see where it goes."

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