Trading Day - 2/5 Sam Gagner

Different look? Same Gagner.

Pros?

He's a legitimate player.

Let's look at the draft pedigree of this character. Taken at 6th overall in past drafts include esteemed players such as Paul Coffey, Ryan Smyth, Vincent Damphousse and Mikko Koivu. Other "decent" players include  Derick Brassard and Cory Stillman.

Oh, and some guy nicknamed Foppa. 

Beyond that top 5, I would say Sam Gagner is the 6th most talented and proven player to play at his draft pedigree. He occupies that spot in terms of points per season.

He also happens to be only one year older than Jordan Eberle. He's 22.

He can play all spots on forward, he's improving at the wings, and he could definitely be a serviceable second line centre now, and as a "prospect", a first line centre in the future.

The fans also inexplicably want to trade him at every opportunity. If we're going to draft Grigorenko, who is in all ways an upgrade of Gagner, I sympathize.

Cons?

He's tiny. He's not the biggest guy, and he's never been to the playoffs. Is he cursed or something?

Beyond that, I don't really think the Oilers want to trade this guy - he's developed some chemistry with Hall, and it's fantastic to have two scoring lines in the NHL. He'd make a great second-line centre after Nuge.

Who's interested?

Well, tonnes of teams, I'd think - for sure, teams lacking offence and/or depth -- Florida, Montreal, Dallas, and even... Calgary.

Florida - this team could and will make the playoffs... but after that? Is there any hope in the Sunshine State?
Well, outside of the top line of Fleschmainn, Versteeg and the other guy, they don't have much depth-scoring. And they certainly have the assets to pry Gagner out.

Montreal - Any team that employs Gomez for scoring is in dire need of scoring. As a quasi-Montreal fan, I want to see this team succeed, but they don't have the scoring. Pacioretty needs someone to feed him the puck. Playmaker, that tis what Gagner is.

Dallas - Their core is aging. Do you think they could use more scoring? Absofreakinglutely. This team needs a kick to get into the playoffs, and Gagner would be it.

...

Calgary - Heh. We wouldn't...

Proposals?

Florida - Gagner for Kulikov. Straight up.

It would address our need for defence and their need for scoring. Giving up Kulikov is a steep price for success, however. But with him injured and the team still winning, I could see this happening.

Montreal - Gagner and our first next year for PK Subban 

They don't like him right now - and trigger happy Gauthier might just buy this deal.

Dallas - Sam Gagner for Jamie Oleksiak.

Proven talent for potential destruction here. Oleksiak is a monstrosity. Imagine that on our blue line...

Calgary - Sam Gagner for ... ...

They seriously have no one we would want, as of right now. They're all too old and not-our-style to play. Sure, they're talented. But they don't buy into the speedy Oilers model of the future.

Coming up soon... 3/5 Shawn Horcoff