Sam Gagner joins AHL Senators on tryout

Longtime NHL forward Sam Gagner has agreed to a professional tryout offer with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, the top minor-league affiliate of the Ottawa Senators, reports the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch.

A veteran of 1,043 NHL games counting stops with the former Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Winnipeg Jets, and three separate stints with the Edmonton Oilers, Gagner racked up 197 goals and 332 assists for 529 points in his 17-year NHL career. With the Blue Jackets in 2016-17, Gagner finished with a career high of 50 points coming in 81 games, one of two seasons in which he also participated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With Edmonton in 2011-12, Gagner etched his name in the Oilers’ record books, putting up eight points in an 8-4 triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks, a single-game feat that matched past accomplishments by franchise legends Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey. Gagner was originally chosen sixth overall by the Oilers in the 2007 NHL Draft.

Last season, Gagner made 28 appearances with the Oilers, finishing with five goals and five assists for 10 points, while also seeing 15 games with the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, in which he recorded nine points counting three goals and six assists. In all, the 35-year-old London, Ont., native has seen 71 showings over part of four seasons at the AHL level, totaling 18 goals and 38 assists for 56 points.

In September, Gagner landed a professional tryout with the Carolina Hurricanes, but was released by the club during training camp.

Gagner now looks to join a Belleville squad that sits sixth place in the AHL’s North Division with a record of 15-13-1-4 and 35 points. Belleville is headlined by forwards Stephen Halliday and Garrett Pilon, each with 24 points on the season.