Aaron Gagnon

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size = 200px
position = Centre
shoots = Right
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11
weight_lb = 189
nickname =
league = NHL
team = Dallas Stars
prospect_league = AHL
prospect_team = Iowa Stars
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1986|4|24
birth_place = Quesnel, BC, CAN
draft = 240th overall
draft_year = 2004
draft_team = Phoenix Coyotes
career_start = 2007

Aaron Gagnon (born April 24, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Iowa Stars of the American Hockey League.

Gagnon was drafted in the eighth round, 240th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. On February 2, 2007, Gagnon signed a 3-year contract with the Dallas Stars. [cite press release|title=Stars Sign Center Aaron Gagnon to Three-Year Deal|url=http://stars.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=315920&nhlLink=true&page=NewsPage&service=page|publisher=Dallas Stars|date=2 February 2007|accessdate=2007-05-11]

Personal life

Gagnon was born on April 24, 1986 in Quesnel, British Columbia to parents Kelly and Barry Gagnon.cite news|last=Drinnan |first=Gregg |title=It felt like a home game for two Thunderbirds |publisher=Kamloops Daily News |date=2005-02-26 |url= |accessdate=2007-10-26] Despite being born in Quesnel, Gagnon was raised in Armstrong, British Columbia. Gagnon has a sister, Jillian, and a brother, Bryn. His brother Bryn is also an ice hockey player, having played for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League and currently a member of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Trojans of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference. [cite web|title=Bryn Gagnon|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=76392|publisher=The Internet Hockey Database|accessdate=2007-10-26]

Playing career

eattle Thunderbirds

Gagnon was drafted in the 5th round, 83rd overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2001 WHL Bantam Draft. [cite web|title=Bantam Draft|url=http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/history/bantam.php|publisher=Seattle Thunderbirds|accessdate=2007-05-11] In the season immediately following the draft, Gagnon played in 2 games with the Thunderbirds, while spending most of the season with his North Okanagan Midget AA team of the BCAHA where he scored 59 goals and 118 points in only 41 games to lead the team in scoring.cite web|title=Aaron Gagnon|url=http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/roster/indiv.php?player_id=245|publisher=Seattle Thunderbirds|accessdate=2007-05-11] One year later, Gagnon began his rookie season with Seattle. In 60 games, Gagnon scored 18 points while adding another 5 points in 15 playoff games. Gagnon's sophomore season was a large improvement over his rookie campaign. With 36 points in 63 games, Gagnon doubled his previous seasons' point total. Gagnon's defensive game also improved, as he led the Thunderbirds in plus/minus with a plus-18.

Gagnon's third season in the WHL proved to be one of his most successful. After setting new career highs in goals (31), assists (34), and points (65) in 72 games, Gagnon was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team and was named the Western Conference nomination for the Brad Hornung Trophy as the WHL's most sportsmanlike player of the year, [cite press release|title=WHL Announces 2004-05 Award Finalists and Conference All-Star Teams|url=http://www.whl.ca/headlines/?id=2873&showToc=1|publisher=Western Hockey League|date=23 March 2005|accessdate=2007-05-11] an award he ultimately lost to Kris Russell of the Medicine Hat Tigers. [cite press release|title=Western Hockey League Announces 2004-05 Annual Award Winners|url=http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=3009&showToc=1&|publisher=Western Hockey League|date=4 May 2005|accessdate=2007-05-11]

On September 22, 2005, just prior to the start of his fourth full WHL season, Gagnon was named captain of the Thunderbirds. [cite news|title=Gagnon named T-Birds 2005-06 captain|publisher=OurSports Central|date=2005-09-22 |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3225754|accessdate=2007-05-11]

Gagnon's final season with the Thunderbirds was arguably the best of his WHL career. Serving once again as the Thunderbirds' captain, Gagnon finished the season with career highs in goals (42), assists (38), and points (80) in only 59 games. During the season, Gagnon was twice named the Boston Pizza WHL Player of the Week and was also named the Husky WHL Player of the Month for December. [cite press release|title=Aaron Gagnon, Seattle Thunderbirds: Feb 19 - Feb 25|url=http://www.whl.ca/potw/index.php?id=6343&showToc=1&|publisher=Western Hockey League|date=26 February 2007|accessdate=2007-05-11] At the completion of the regular season, Gagnon was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team [cite press release|title=WHL Announces 2006-07 Conference All Star Teams |url=http://whl.ca/news/?id=6582&showToc=1&game_id=|publisher=Western Hockey League|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=2007-05-11] and was the Western Conference nomination for both the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL's MVP, and the Brad Hornung Trophy as the WHL's most sportsmanlike player of the year. [cite press release|title=Gagnon and Russell Named WHL Player of the Year Finalists |url=http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=6809&showToc=1&|publisher=Western Hockey League|date=18 April 2007|accessdate=2007-05-11] For the second time in his WHL career, Gagnon lost out on an award to Kris Russell of the Medicine Hat Tigers, losing the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy; however, Gagnon did manage to win his first Brad Hornung Trophy. [cite news|last=Riley |first=Jim |title=Gagnon, Beach take home WHL awards|publisher=The Seattle Times|date=2007-02-08 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003690909_whl03.html?syndication=rss|accessdate=2007-05-11]

International play

On April 1, 2004, Gagnon was named to the Canadian roster for the 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships in Minsk, Belarus. [cite press release|title=Canada’s 2004 World Under-18 Championship Roster Named |url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/1/0/9/7/7/index1.shtml|publisher=Hockey Canada|date=1 April 2004|accessdate=2007-05-11]

Awards

*2005 – WHL West First All-Star Team
*2006 – WHL Boston Pizza Player of the Week (November 27 – December 3)
*2006 – WHL Husky Player of the Month (December)
*2007 – WHL Boston Pizza Player of the Week (February 19 – 25)
*2007 – WHL Brad Hornung Trophy
*2007 – WHL West First All-Star Team

Career statistics

International Statistics

References

External links

*hockeydb|62581
* [http://www.iowastarshockey.com/meetheteam/roster/index.html?player_id=79 Official Iowa Stars profile]

Persondata
NAME= Gagnon, Aaron
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Professional ice hockey player
DATE OF BIRTH= April 24, 1986
PLACE OF BIRTH= Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=