Simon Gagné

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Born	February 29, 1980 (1980-02-29) (age 29), Sainte-Foy, QC, CAN
Height Weight	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Philadelphia Flyers
Ntl. team	Canada
NHL Draft	22nd overall, 1998 Philadelphia Flyers
Pro career	1999 – present

Simon Gagné (born February 29, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is an alternate captain with the Flyers during home games and is currently the longest serving player on their roster.

Drafted out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) 22nd overall in 1998, Gagné played major junior with the Beauport Harfangs and Quebec Remparts for three seasons. He began his NHL career with the Flyers in 1999–00 and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He has appeared in two NHL All-Star Games and has won two Bobby Clarke Trophies with the Flyers as team MVP. Gagne is also considered to have one of the best shots ever to be seen in the NHL.

Internationally, Gagné has represented Team Canada on five occasions. He has won silver medals at the 1999 World Junior Championships and 2005 World Championships, while winning gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics and a World Cup championship in 2004.

Contents 1 Playing career 1.1 QMJHL 1.2 Philadelphia Flyers 2 International play 3 Career statistics 3.1 Regular season and playoffs 3.2 International 3.3 All-Star Games 4 Awards 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Playing career

[edit] QMJHL

Gagné was 16 when he broke into the QMJHL 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 Quebec 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).^[1]

[edit] 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.^[2] 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

Gagne had a strong return in the 2008–09 season, scoring 34 goals, 74 points, and posting a +21 in 79 games. However, injury troubles persisted in 2009–10. Less than a month into the season, Gagné was placed on the injured reserve after being diagnosed with a double hernia in his groin in late-October 2009. Although the Flyers' orthopedic surgeon recommended surgery, Gagné opted for a second opinion with his personal doctor in Montreal.^[5] Soon thereafter, Gagné did in fact opt for surgery, performed on November 3. The surgery repaired the two small hernias in his right groin laparoscopically through his belly button, while reinforcing his rectus abdominus on both sides. Gagne returned to action on December 19, against the New York Rangers after missing 24 games.^[6]

[edit] International play

Medal record
Gagné has represented Canada internationally on five different occasions.
Competitor for  Canada
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
Silver	2005 Switzerland
World Cup
Gold	2004 Canada
Winter Olympics
Gold	2002 Salt Lake City
World Junior Championships
Silver	1999 Canada

Gagné debuted internationally with Team Canada at the 1999 World Junior Championships in Manitoba. Playing as the host country, Canada made it to the gold medal game against Russia, but lost in overtime to earn the silver medal. Gagné scored seven goals and an assist in seven games to finish second in team scoring behind Daniel Tkaczuk's 10 points.

Three years later, Gagné made his senior debut with Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, scoring four points in six games to help Canada to their first Olympic ice hockey gold medal in 52 years over the host country United States.

Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Gagné competed in the 2004 World Cup, where he captured his second consecutive international championship with Team Canada, contributing two points in six games. Due to the Philadelphia Flyers' consistent playoff runs in the NHL, Gagné did not appear in a World Championships until 2005, with the NHL lockout still in effect. He finished the tournament with an international career-high 10 points in nine games, third in team scoring behind Rick Nash and Joe Thornton as the three Canadians finished 1-2-3 in tournament scoring. However, as Canada made it to the gold medal game, they were shutout by the Czech Republic 3–0.

The following year, Gagné was named to his second national Olympic team to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Attempting to defend their gold medal from 2002, Canada was, however, defeated in the quarterfinals by Russia and finished in seventh place. Gagné tallied three points in five games.

Named to the 2009 summer camp roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Gagné injured his groin and was forced to leave camp on August 25, 2009. After playing nine games in the 2009-2010 season, Gagne underwent surgery which ended his chances of being on team Canada 3 straight times.^[7]

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season							Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
1997–98	Ste-Foy	QAAA		27	13	9	22	—	18		15	7	8	15	—	8
1996–97	Beauport Harfangs	QMJHL		51	9	22	31	-5	39		—	—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL		53	30	39	69	+20	26		12	11	5	16	—	23
1998–99	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL		61	50	70	120	+51	42		13	9	8	17	—	4
1999–00	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	20	28	48	+11	22		17	5	5	10	0	2
2000–01	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		69	27	32	59	+24	18		6	3	0	3	-2	0
2001–02	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	33	33	66	+31	32		5	0	0	0	-3	2
2002–03	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		46	9	18	27	+20	16		13	4	1	5	+1	6
2003–04	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	24	21	45	+12	29		18	5	4	9	+10	12
2004–05	DNP — Lockout	NHL		—	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		72	47	32	79	+31	46		6	3	1	4	+2	2
2006–07	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		76	41	27	68	+2	30		—	—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		25	7	11	18	-8	4		—	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	34	40	74	+21	42		6	3	1	4	-4	2
NHL totals				606	242	242	484	+144	231		71	23	12	35	+4	26

[edit] International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999	Canada	WJC		7	7	1	8	2
2002	Canada	Oly		6	1	3	4	0
2004	Canada	WCH		6	1	1	2	0
2005	Canada	WC		9	3	7	10	0
2006	Canada	Oly		5	1	2	3	4
Junior int'l totals				7	7	1	8	2
Senior int'l totals				26	6	13	19	4

[edit] All-Star Games

Year	Location		G	A	P
2001	Colorado		2	0	2
2007	Dallas		0	0	0
All-Star totals			2	0	2

[edit] Awards

• Named to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team in 1998–99.
• Named to the NHL All Rookie Team in 1999–2000.
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2001 and 2007.
• Won the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial (Philadelphia Flyers' most improved player) in 2000–01.
• Won the Toyota Cup (Philadelphia Flyers' most three stars selections) in 2001–02, 2005–06 and 2006–07.
• Won the Bobby Clarke Trophy (Philadelphia Flyers' MVP) in 2005–06 and 2006–07.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Simon Gagné's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Simon Gagné's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Simon Gagné's NHL player profile
• Simon Gagné at TSN.ca

Preceded by Dainius Zubrus	Philadelphia Flyers' first round draft pick 1998	Succeeded by Maxime Ouellet
Preceded by Mark Recchi	Winner of the Bobby Clarke Trophy 2006, 2007	Succeeded by Mike Richards