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Sam William Gagner (born August 10, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, and Winnipeg Jets.
Gagner was drafted by the Oilers in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2007 NHL entry draft, and played there for the first seven years of his NHL career. He also played one season each for the Coyotes, Flyers, Blue Jackets, and Canucks before returning to Edmonton in 2019; he was then traded to the Red Wings in 2020. After three years in Detroit followed by a season with the Jets, Gagner returned to Edmonton for a third tenure in 2023.
Gagner originally committed to play hockey at the collegiate level for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but later decided to stay closer to home by playing for a Canadian major junior hockey team. Considered a first-round talent, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s London Knights selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 OHL entry draft on a flyer, as his commitment to play college hockey deterred many OHL teams from drafting him. Joined by future NHL stars Patrick Kane and Sergei Kostitsyn on the Knights' top line in 2006–07, Gagner scored 118 points in 53 games, fifth in OHL scoring. He also captained Team Burns/Bergeron (Red) in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game to a 5–3 victory over Team Bowman/Demers (White).
As the NHL's youngest player in 2007–08, he tallied 49 points in 79 games playing between wingers and fellow rookies Andrew Cogliano and Robert Nilsson on a combination dubbed the "Kid Line." During the season, Gagner participated in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game in Atlanta as part of All-Star weekend and was also named the NHL Rookie of the Month for February. As part of a month-long scoring stretch in which he scored 13 points in 12 games, he also established an Oilers team record for the longest assists streak by a rookie with nine in eight straight games.
The next season, 2008–09, Gagner recorded his first career NHL hat-trick and added an assist for a four-point game in an 8–1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on March 19, 2009. He finished his sophomore season with 16 goals and 41 points in 76 games. In the following two campaigns, he posted 41- and 42-point efforts.
On March 9, 2011, Gagner severed a tendon in his left hand while facing the Washington Capitals when teammate Ryan Jones caught him with a skate blade while jumping over the boards. Requiring surgery, Gagner was sidelined for the remainder of the 2010–11 season, as well as one month into the following campaign, making his return to the Oilers line-up on October 22, 2011. Several months later, on February 2, 2012, Gagner scored four goals and four assists against the Chicago Blackhawks, tying the team record of eight points in a game, previously set by Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey. The feat also made him the eighth NHL player of all time to score eight or more points in a single game, and the first since Mario Lemieux did it in 1989. Two days later, Gagner scored two goals and added an assist in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings, setting a new Oilers record with 11 consecutive points, previously held by Gretzky, who scored ten consecutive points twice his career. "Gagner picks up three points, Oilers down Wings in SO" . tsn.ca. 2012-02-05. Gagner finished the season with 47 points over 75 games, with nearly a quarter of his output having occurred in that two-game stretch.
During the 2012–13 NHL lock-out, Gagner signed with EC KAC of the Eishockey Liga in Austria. On July 22, 2013, shortly after the end of the 2012–13 season, the Oilers signed Gagner to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.8 million."Gagner, Oilers reach deal, avoid arbitration". nhl.com. Retrieved July 22, 2013. = http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=678570&navid=nhl:topheads/ 1 = http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=678570&navid=nhl:topheads
During the Coyotes' training camp ahead of the 2014–15 season, Arizona head coach Dave Tippett experimented utilizing Gagner on the right wing instead of his natural centre position, where he played in a pre-season, 5–4 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings. With a fresh start, former with Arizona, Gagner found chemistry playing on a line with centre Martin Hanzal; the two combined for 16 points in just five games in December and January 2015.
On August 1, 2016, Gagner signed a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Following a resurgent season with the Blue Jackets where he set a career-high in points with 50, Gagner signed a 3-year $9.45 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
Through 43 games with the Marlies, Gagner was among the team's top scorers with 37 points. He was traded by the Canucks in return to his original draft club, the Edmonton Oilers, in exchange for Ryan Spooner on February 16, 2019. During the 2019–20 season, Gagner recorded five goals and seven assists in 36 games for the Oilers.
On September 26, 2020, the Red Wings signed Gagner to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension. On July 28, 2021, the Red Wings signed Gagner to a one-year contract extension.
Several months later, on May 15, Gagner joined the Ottawa Senators' front office as director of player development, ending his playing career.
Later that year, upon being selected in the 2007 NHL entry draft, Gagner competed in the 2007 Super Series, an eight-game series between Canada's and Russia's national junior teams commemorating the 1972 Summit Series. He scored 15 points and was named series MVP, as Canada defeated Russia 7–0–1 in the series.
After Gagner's 2007–08 rookie season with the Oilers, he made his senior international debut with Canada in the 2008 World Championships in Canada as a reserve. Gagner played in one preliminary game as Canada was defeated in the gold medal game by Russia.
In December 2024, Gagner was selected for Canada's squad for the 2024 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. Gagner played in both of Canada's group stage games, registering an assist in the opener against the tournament hosts, HC Davos, before featuring in their semi-final loss to Straubing Tigers.
Gagner is the son of former NHL player Dave Gagner, who spent 15 seasons with the Rangers, North Stars/Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames, Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and Canucks. Due to his dad's career, Sam Gagner grew up in Minneapolis, Dallas, Toronto, Calgary, Miami, Vancouver and Oakville. His sister, Jessica Gagner, played hockey for the Dartmouth Big Green women's ice hockey program.
Gagner married longtime girlfriend Dr. Rachel Linke in Muskoka, Ontario, on July 12, 2014. They have three children.
| 2004–05 | Toronto Marlboros AAA | GTHL U16 | 89 | 63 | 110 | 173 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Milton Icehawks | OPJHL | 13 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL | 56 | 11 | 35 | 46 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | London Knights | OHL | 53 | 35 | 83 | 118 | 36 | 16 | 7 | 22 | 29 | 22 |
| 2007–08 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 79 | 13 | 36 | 49 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 76 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 68 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 68 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 75 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | EC KAC | EBEL | 21 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 48 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 67 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 81 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 53 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 2015–16 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms | AHL | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 81 | 18 | 32 | 50 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 74 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 43 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 25 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 36 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 42 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 48 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 15 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 28 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | Belleville Senators | AHL | 19 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | Canada Ontario | U17 | 5th | 5 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 0 |
| 2007 | Canada | WJC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2008 | Canada | WC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Buck Houle Award | 2004 |
| All-Rookie Team | 2006 |
| CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game | 2007 |
| First All-Rookie Team | 2007 |
| Third All-Star Team | 2007 |
| CHL All-Rookie Team | 2007 |
| NHL YoungStars Game | 2008 |
| Rookie of the Month (February) | 2008 |
| Super Series MVP | 2007 |
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