Jets Enter Game 5 Former Winnipeg Jets forward Sam Gagner signed a professional tryout offer Wednesday with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 35-year-old veteran forward is coming off a decent season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he recorded five goals and five assists for ten points in 28 games. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmh5fFbV2VQ[/embed] Gagner has been reportedly interested [https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/proceeding-with-caution-on-the-leon-draisaitl-deal-should-give-oilers-fans-confidence-9-things] in taking on a player development role with the Oilers organization if he can not find a team willing to sign him for his 18th NHL season. The London, ON native played 48 of his 1,043 career NHL games with the Jets during the 2022-23 season, where he recorded eight goals and six assists for 14 points. His presence in the Jets locker room proved to have an impact and he ended the season with a nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets/news/sam-gagner-named-as-winnipeg-jets-bill-masterton-trophy-nominee]. Despite Gagner's lengthy career and suiting up for seven different NHL teams, he has struggled to find success in the postseason with four points in 11 career playoff games. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MlOoT5BMXU[/embed] His most memorable moment of his career was when he recorded four goals and four assists for eight points in a single game, when playing with the Oilers against a Chicago Blackhawks team that was in the prime of their dynasty run in 2012. He followed it up with some decent seasons like in 2016-17 when he finished third on the team with 32 assists and totaled a career-high 50 points. Gagner will look to continue playing at the NHL level and should garner some interest as a journeymen with over 1,000 games played, who could provide valuable insight to young players on teams like the Sabres, Senators and Canadiens, who are the top three youngest NHL rosters.
