[Report] Sam Gagner to be named next Oilers Captain

[Owen Nolan]

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2013/08/27/report-sam-gagner-to-be-the-next-captain-of-the-edmonton-oilers/

According to Oilersnation.com, Sam Gagner will be named the 14th captain of the Edmonton Oilers.

The report comes from the site’s owner, who writes under the pseudonym Wanye Gretz. While it might seem odd to quote a report from somebody going by the name Wanye Gretz, he doesn’t report rumours very often and when he has in the past he’s been right. Gretz broke the Oilers’ signing of Mike Comrie back in 2009, going so far as to correctly report the cap hit (Comrie signed a one-year deal at $1.25 million; Gretz reported a one-year, $1.3 million contract).

If Gretz is similarly right here, the Oilers will have made an unconventional choice, picking a player who is neither one of the team’s young superstars nor one of its most experienced veterans. Gagner falls somewhere in between: at 24, he’s in the same age bracket as the team’s young core (even if he isn’t seen as a first overall calibre player) but with six years of NHL experience under his belt he’s been around for a long time, too. Gagner finished second in team scoring last season in a career year, putting up 38 points in 48 games to finish behind only Taylor Hall.

While in some ways this is a surprising choice, Gagner certainly has a backer in general manager Craig MacTavish. In his 2013 season review press conference, he made a point of highlighting Gagner’s leadership – despite the fact that the team was facing a potentially difficult negotiation with the then-restricted free agent:

Sam has really developed into a leader here… he’s a guy that’s really developed into the type of character we want and that’s going to be important when I’m making the decisions, is that we have the type of culture in that room. I would weigh rather take a marginal step backwards and have the culture that we want because I know it’s going to be more impactful going forward. We’ve had a few years of too much of a circus in there and that’s going to change.

Gagner has since signed a three-year deal with the team, a deal that includes a no-trade clause in its second year.

[timberz21]

Probably because they think Hall/RNH/Eberle are ready to be captain or don't know which one of the three to choose.

They probably figure that after that 3 years contract or before Gagner will be gone, therefore he becomes a good temporary captain having been with the team for six years. Kinda of like the new horcoff, even if he's younger.

[cdubuya]

i can believe it. He once got 8 points in 1 game.

[Wheels22]

Random

[DownUndaCanuck]

I guess it's not that far-fetched. Hemsky really should be named captain - he's the most talented and longest serving Edmonton player right now, and still has plenty of years ahead of him. Meanwhile Gagner has been the biggest trade bait the team has. Perhaps they're thinking of moving Hemsky, not Gagne? Captaincy also could have been incentive for Gagne to re-sign.

I'd say Eberle is 100% ready to become captain though. All-due respect to RNH and Hall, but Eberle is a born winner and leader, and has won big games and key times at every stage of hockey so far in his career. I'd consider him a star in this league right now and he's no longer developing.

[Dogbyte]

I guess it's not that far-fetched. Hemsky really should be named captain - he's the most talented and longest serving Edmonton player right now, and still has plenty of years ahead of him. Meanwhile Gagner has been the biggest trade bait the team has. Perhaps they're thinking of moving Hemsky, not Gagne? Captaincy also could have been incentive for Gagne to re-sign.

I'd say Eberle is 100% ready to become captain though. All-due respect to RNH and Hall, but Eberle is a born winner and leader, and has won big games and key times at every stage of hockey so far in his career. I'd consider him a star in this league right now and he's no longer developing.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Did Taylor Hall pass?

[Absent Canuck]

I was certain Taylor Hall would be their captain.

[Xbox]

Interesting. I thought it would of been Eberle

[D.Doughty]

I thought it would have been Ryan Smyth and when Smyth retires, one of the young guns will have been ready.

[Tangelos]

The only player on that team deserving of the C is my boy Ladislav. That guys a tank.

[Aladeen]

The only player on that team deserving of the C is my boy Ladislav. That guys a tank.

[canuck2xtreme]

I thought it would have been Ryan Smyth and when Smyth retires, one of the young guns will have been ready.

My thoughts exactly.

Eberle is a leader and clutch player, the heart and soul kind of guy every team needs to win. I get that Hall's a pretty good player and all, but in my opinion, it should be Eberle. I definitely agree with letting Ryan Smyth bridge the gap for a year or two though.

[Tre Mac]

You can put any letter you want on a coiler, it's still gonna stink up the joint.

[Pears]

I thought the C was going to Eberle for sure. Did not expect Gagner whatsoever.

[Zoolander]

Weird choice...I would have gone with Eberle because he's clutch in pressure situations (kinda like Toews)

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Giving to Eberle would make more sense as I think he is capable of leading the young Oilers and also, they wouldn't be changing Captains every 3-4 years or so.

[TheRussianRocket.]

My thoughts exactly.

Eberle is a leader and clutch player, the heart and soul kind of guy every team needs to win. I get that Hall's a pretty good player and all, but in my opinion, it should be Eberle. I definitely agree with letting Ryan Smyth bridge the gap for a year or two though.

[Guest Dasein]

I look at Eberle I see clutch goals, but I don't see leadership, accountability and responsibility. He's very skilled and very clutch, but to me he is more akin to a Patrick Kane - flash and dash. I don't personally know how Eberle is, but he doesn't look like a guy that has the best work ethic.

As for Taylor Hall, he is a stallion, but he again does not come off to me as a captain material.

Gagner makes sense because he's been in the NHL for a while, had great work ethic and can lead by example. He's definitely not the best of the young guns, but he is the best leader I think.

[Alex Burrows 14]

Umm, they've been trying to trade Hemsky all summer. Eberle would be a good choice as far as leading by example but he's pretty soft spoken I believe.