End of an Era as Gagne Departs
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent David Strehle takes a look at the departure of Philadelphia sports’ longest tenured player.
It’s hard to believe that just two short months after rescuing his Philadelphia Flyers from postseason elimination in such heroic fashion, Simon Gagne will no longer be wearing the Orange-and-Black.
It’s now official, Gagne is an “ex”-Flyer, a salary cap casualty of GM Paul Holmgren’s summer shopping spree.
After adding wingers Nikolai Zherdev and Jody Shelley, the dealing of a high salaried player became a necessity, as Philadelphia sat at around $2.5 million over the upper salary cap limit.
The deal sends Gagne and his $5.25 million salary to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth round draft choice.
The 30-year-old Walker stands to make $1.7 million for the next three seasons, so Holmgren has about $1 million in cap room at the moment.
Gagne is an unrestricted free agent after the 2010-11 campaign, Holmgren may have just wanted to ensure that he got some type of return for his high-scoring left winger. Maybe the thought of losing Gagne for nothing next year prompted the deal, but it seems that things could have been handled a little better.
A week or so after rumors that Gagne had waived his no-trade clause and that Holmgren was in discussions with the Los Angeles Kings, the 30-year-old left wing told RDS.ca that he had not, indeed, waived his NTC.
Drafted 22nd overall by the Flyers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Gagne was always an honest, hard-working, two-way winger. He never sacrificed his work at the defensive end of the rink in order to put up bigger offensive numbers.
But he did put up excellent numbers.
In his best injury-free seasons, Gagne has four times potted more than 30 goals, including twice with more than 40 (his career-high of 47 was in 2005-06). Over the course of 10 full NHL campaigns, he has averaged 66 games played, 26 goals and 52 points.
The only blemish on Gagne’s career has been his history of injuries. He has missed significant time in four different seasons.
His worst injury was a concussion in the 2007-08 season, in which he ended up appearing in just 25 contests.
Last year, it was a double sports hernia in November that required surgery and limited Gagne to just 58 regular season games.
But in every season that he missed significant time, he has always come back with a solid season.
And through it all, Gagne was always the good soldier. Never one to complain, he gave his all to the organization.
This past postseason is a classic example.
After blocking an Ilya Kovalchuk point shot in Game four of the opening round against the New Jersey Devils, Gagne was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his right foot.
He had surgery, and was on crutches and out of commission for nearly two weeks.
But Gagne returned ahead of schedule as his Flyers were facing an 0-3 series deficit to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
What transpired over the next week was nothing short of miraculous.
As Game four slipped into overtime, Philly were just a goal away from a series sweep and elimination at the hands of the Bruins.
Instead, Gagne redirected a Matt Carle pass behind Boston netminder Tuukka Rask to give the Flyers life for another day.
In Game five in Boston Gagne scored two more goals, leading the Orange-and-Black to a 4-0 victory.
After falling behind 3-0 in Game seven, Gagne capped a furious and improbable Flyers comeback, scoring the series-winning goal midway through the third period.
For those of us who were lucky enough to have witnessed the historic coming back from the dead, it is something that will forever be etched in our memories.
And Gagne will be at the forefront of any recollection.
Up to this point in his career, a Game six overtime game-winner against his new team, the Lightning, was the defining moment in Gagne’s NHL career.
But there is no doubt that when any fan of the Flyers is asked years from now what they remember most about Gagne, it is a good bet that every single person will name the Boston series.
I would like to personally say thank you, Mr. Gagne. Your honor, loyalty, and service to the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization is much appreciated, and I wish you nothing but the best as you enter a new phase of your career in Tampa Bay.
David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia
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