Simon Gagné

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size = 220px
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 195
team = Philadelphia Flyers
league = NHL
nationality = Canada
birth_date = birth date and age|1980|2|29
birth_place = Sainte-Foy, PQ, CAN
career_start = 1999
draft = 22nd overall
draft_year = 1998
draft_team = Philadelphia Flyers

Simon Gagné (February 29, 1980 in Sainte-Foy, Quebec) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is an alternate captain of the Philadelphia Flyers and is the longest serving Flyer currently on the roster.

Playing career

QMJHL

Gagné was 16 when he broke into the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) as a member of the Beauport Harfangs during the 1996–97 season. Playing mostly on the third and fourth lines, Gagné finished with 31 points (9 goals and 22 assists) in 51 games. The following two seasons, he would play with the Québec Remparts, totalling 189 points (80 goals and 109 assists) in 114 games, including a 120-point season in 1998-99. That year, he finished sixth in league scoring, was named to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team and was awarded the Paul Dumont Trophy as the "personality of the year". Gagné also recorded 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points in 25 career playoff matches with the Remparts. After the 1998-99 season, Gagné graduated to the pro ranks, and the Remparts retired Gagné's #12 jersey during a ceremony early on in the 1999–2000 season. Gagné joined Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur as the only two players that have had their jerseys retired by the Quebec Remparts (Alexander Radulov's number has also since been retired by the Remparts [citeweb|title=Transfer-deal détente tested by Russian team's poaching of Preds star|url=http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2008/07/11/transfer-deal-detente-tested-by-russian-team-s-poaching-of-preds-star.aspx|publisher=National Post|accessdate=2008-07-16|date=2008-07-11] ).

Philadelphia Flyers

Gagné was drafted 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and made the Flyers out of training camp prior to the 1999-2000 season. His rookie season saw him score 20 goals and 28 assists in 80 games, good enough to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He chipped in 5 goals and 5 assists in 17 games during the playoffs before the Flyers lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils in the semi-finals.

Playing on a line with Keith Primeau and Mark Recchi in 2000-01, Gagné scored 27 goals and 32 assists in 69 games and took part in his first NHL All-Star Game. During the All-Star Game he scored 2 goals including the game winning goal for the North American team. 2001-02 saw him score 33 goals and tally a career high 33 assists in 79 games. A nagging groin injury limited Gagné to 46 games and career lows in goals, assists, and points in 2002-03. The next season, Gagné posted 24 goals and 21 assists in 80 games. He also scored a big overtime goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=240520015|title=Flyers send series to Game 7|accessdate=2007-06-24|publisher=ESPN.com|year=2004] However, the Flyers were eliminated in Game 7.

Once the 2004–05 NHL lockout came to an end, Gagné assumed a greater role on the Flyers and played most of the year as the left winger on the top line with Peter Forsberg and Mike Knuble. The line became known as the "Deuces Wild" line due to their numbers (12 - Gagné, 21 - Forsberg, 22 - Knuble) and Gagné responded with his best season as a pro with 47 goals and 79 points in 72 games. He was awarded the Bobby Clarke Trophy, which is awarded to the Flyers Team MVP. Gagné was given a 5-year contract extension in the off-season, worth over $25 million. Despite not having Forsberg as his centre for much of the 2006-07 season due to injury and Forsberg's eventual trade to the Nashville Predators, Gagné scored 41 goals and 27 assists in 76 games and won his second consecutive Bobby Clarke Trophy. He also played in his second NHL All-Star Game.

In the 2007-08 season, Gagné recorded 18 points in 25 games before being shut down for the year on February 20 after being told to sit out by doctors. Although it was believed Gagné had suffered three concussions in five months, he was told by doctors that he only had one and further injuries re-aggravated the symptoms. He suffered the initial concussion on October 25, 2007, when he was hit in the jaw with a check from Florida Panthers defenceman Jay Bouwmeester. Gagné sat out four games and returned only to be hurt again on November 7. After missing the next 26 games, he was re-injured on his first shift back on February 10, 2008 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. [Citeweb|title=Concussed Flyers F Simon Gagne already planning for next season|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/22/sports/HKN-Flyers-Gagne-Out.php|publisher=International Herald Tribune|accessdate=2008-07-15|date=2008-02-22] Gagné follows after several previous Flyers player who have suffered serious concussions. Former captain Keith Primeau had his career ended prematurely due to concussions suffered while playing in Philadelphia, while Jeremy Roenick nearly retired after suffering one himself. [citeweb|title=Gagne joins Lindros, Primeau, Roenick as Flyers hit with brutal concussions|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2008-02-29-3372160555_x.htm|publisher=USA Today|accessdate=2008-07-15|date=2008-02-29|last=Gelston|first=Dan]

Awards

*1998-99: Second All-Star Team (QMJHL)
*1999-2000: All-Rookie Team (NHL)
*2000-01: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
*2000-01: Pelle Lindbergh Memorial (Philadelphia Flyers)
*2001-02: Toyota Cup (Philadelphia Flyers)
*2005-06: Bobby Clarke Trophy (Philadelphia Flyers)
*2005-06: Toyota Cup (Philadelphia Flyers)
*2006-07: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
*2006-07: Bobby Clarke Trophy (Philadelphia Flyers)
*2006-07: Toyota Cup (Philadelphia Flyers)

Career statistics

International play

Played for Canada in:
*1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*2002 Winter Olympics
*2004 World Cup of Hockey
*2005 Ice Hockey World Championships
*2006 Winter Olympics

International statistics

Notes

External links

*hockeydb|29376
*TSN-NHL-profile|1601
*legendsofhockey|16752