NEW YORK — As Jon Bon Jovi sings, "Who says you can't go home?" Sam Gagner definitely can. He has been all around the NHL, but now he's back in Edmonton, where his journey started.
"I was very excited," Gagner said in recalling his emotions when he received word he had been traded from the Canucks to the Oilers on Saturday afternoon. "Obviously, it's been a tough year in some respects, but to be back here and get a chance to play at this level again, especially with the Oilers. It was an emotional day and definitely a lot of excitement that went into it."
This guy looks familiar... 👀 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/DhuehwD4Xs
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 17, 2019
Drafted sixth overall by the Oilers in 2007, Gagner, 29, spent seven seasons in Edmonton, logging 481 games and 295 points (101 goals and 194 assists) before being shipped by then-general manager Craig MacTavish to the Lightning in 2014. Before the ink was dry on that deal, however, he was traded to the Coyotes. He has suited up for four NHL teams over the past five-plus seasons (Coyotes, Flyers, Blue Jackets and Canucks).
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This season, Gagner has spent the majority of his time in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. Luckily for him, the Oilers were not too far away when he got the call. In a matter of hours, Gagner was leaving Providence, R.I., driving through Connecticut and heading to Brooklyn to put on his familiar No. 89 and reconnect with some familiar faces.
"There's Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) and Kyle (Brodziak) and (Oscar) Klefbom," he said in listing the only current players who skated with him the last time he wore the blue and orange. "I have some friendships in this room. ... It's nice to have some familiar faces, and (it) just allows you to kind of slip in a little more seamlessly, and Nuge is one of those guys for me.
"Just helps me (get) right back in the mix and playing with him definitely helped me tonight."
On Saturday, in his first NHL game since Dec. 1, the winger played almost 10 minutes and started the game on the fourth line with winger Tobias Rieder and center Colby Cave. By the second period, coach Ken Hitchcock was looking for "more speed and skill" and paired Gagner with Nugent-Hopkins.
"We didn't play much together the first time around when I was here as we were both centers at the time," Gagner said. "I thought we put some good shifts together. We were able to score that goal (Nugent-Hopkins' tally in the second period), and I thought we created some chances.
"I think there's a fit there. I think we both kind of think the game the same way and we're good friends off the ice, so I think we can kind of build that chemistry, and I thought it worked well."
Gagner also got to see some time with the man advantage. He rocketed a shot that Islanders netminder Robin Lehner could not control. The rebound went right to Klefbom, who was then robbed by the goalie.
Sheesh, @RobinLehner showing us why stretching's important. pic.twitter.com/tNspAZeMMi
— NHL (@NHL) February 17, 2019
"Lehner made a great save there," Gagner said. "I thought we did a good job. We get the tail end of it and when we talk about it, it's about making sure that we're direct and getting pucks to the net and making things happen quickly.
"At the end of the day, it's just playing hockey and, you know, the first one you just go out there and try and read off your instincts and do the best you can with the systems, and the more you play the more you'll settle in."
Hitchcock was happy with what he saw from his newest — but not an unfamiliar — player.
"It was a long day for him," said Hitchcock, who coached Gagner on the silver medal-winning Canadian squad at the 2008 World Championships. "He had some good stuff offensively. Hard, you know. He's just getting used to this stuff, so overall I think he's going to help us."
The Oilers closed out their three-game road trip with their third consecutive loss, 5-2 to the Islanders. They'll take on one of Gagner's former teams, the Coyotes, on Tuesday in Edmonton.
Gagner will be playing in a different building (Rogers Place instead of Rexall Place), but he's ready to suit up in front of the Oilers faithful.
"I'm really excited about it. I really enjoyed my first go-around in Edmonton," he said with a smile. "I have a lot of great memories of being an Oiler the first time around and hopefully [I'll] build some more memories the second time around."