Gabriel Gagné Explained

Gabriel Gagné
Position:Right Wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lb:186
Team:Free Agent
Former Teams:Binghamton Senators
Belleville Senators
Toronto Marlies
Ontario Reign
Rockford IceHogs
Birth Date:11 November 1996
Birth Place:Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, Canada
Draft:36th overall
Draft Year:2015
Draft Team:Ottawa Senators
Career Start:2016

Gabriel Gagné (born November 11, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Gagné was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Gagné was selected in the second round of the 2012 QMJHL Entry Draft by the Moncton Wildcats.[1] In January 2013, Gagné was traded to the Victoriaville Tigres as part of a trade that sent Phillip Danault to Moncton.[2]

After playing two-plus seasons with the Tigres, during which he scored 56 goals, Gagné was traded in December 2015 to the Shawinigan Cataractes in exchange for James Phelan and a draft pick.[3]

Gagné was drafted in the second round, 36th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[4] One year later, he made his professional debut for the Senators' ECHL affiliate, the Wichita Thunder.

In the final year of his entry-level contract in the 2018–19 season, Gagné contributed with 9 points in 33 games with AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, before he was traded by Ottawa to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Morgan Klimchuk on January 11, 2019.[5]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Maple Leafs, Gagné left as a free agent. Unable to secure an NHL contract, Gagné agreed to a contract for the 2019–20 season with the Allen Americans of the ECHL on August 21, 2019.[6] [7] As the Americans' offensive leader, Gagné collected 26 points in 25 games before signing a professional tryout with the Ontario Reign of the AHL on December 18, 2019.[8] He returned to the Americans after 3 games, and continued to lead the ECHL with 24 goals before agreeing to his second PTO in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, affiliate to the Chicago Blackhawks on January 18, 2020.[9] Finding a role within the IceHogs, contributing with 11 points through 19 games, Gagné was signed to an AHL contract for the remainder of the season on March 7, 2020.

Following his fifth season in the AHL, with his NHL prospects limited, Gagné signed his first contract abroad, agreeing to a one-year contract with Norwegian club, Stjernen, on June 5, 2021.[10] However, this contract would later be terminated following Gagné's sexual assault charges and subsequent arrest.[11]

Personal

Gagné has said he tries to play like Rick Nash, and he has also been compared to Steve Bernier.

Sexual assault charges

On August 3, 2021, Gagné was arrested in Québec and charged with sexual assault against multiple alleged victims.[12] The charges date back to incidents in 2016 while he played for Shawinigan in the QMJHL, with one victim being under 16 years of age at the time. Gagné's contract with Stjernen in Norway for the upcoming season was terminated upon the news of his arrest.[13]

Career statistics

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13Victoriaville TigresQMJHL1000010000
2013–14Victoriaville TigresQMJHL671621371450224
2014–15Victoriaville TigresQMJHL673524593942134
2015–16Victoriaville TigresQMJHL85386
2015–16Shawinigan CataractesQMJHL34121628142111112222
2016–17Binghamton SenatorsAHL412469
2016–17Wichita ThunderECHL1965116
2017–18Belleville SenatorsAHL682052545
2018–19Belleville SenatorsAHL334598
2018–19Toronto MarliesAHL222576
2018–19Newfoundland GrowlersECHL50440
2019–20Allen AmericansECHL362414388
2019–20Ontario ReignAHL30110
2019–20Rockford IceHogsAHL2166 127
2020–21Rockford IceHogsAHL71012
AHL totals19535266177

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hodge. Neil. Moncton Wildcats. Cats make Gabriel Gagne top choice. June 13, 2012. February 15, 2016.
  2. Web site: theqmjhl.ca. Important trades in the QMJHL: Danault to Moncton; M-O Brouillard to Acadie-Bathurst; Murphy to Halifax; Gagné to Rimouski. January 8, 2013. February 15, 2016.
  3. Web site: MacPherson. Bryer. Shawinigan Cataractes. Phelan dealt to Victoriaville for Gagne. December 20, 2015. February 15, 2016.
  4. Web site: Silver Seven Sens. Schreiter. Michaela. Ottawa Senators Select Gabriel Gagne 36th Overall. June 27, 2015. February 15, 2016.
  5. Web site: Maple Leafs acquire Gagne from Senators . . January 11, 2019 . January 11, 2019.
  6. Web site: Americans add new blood up front with addition of three young forwards . . August 21, 2019 . August 21, 2019.
  7. Web site: Americans sign three newcomers . ECHL . 6 November 2019.
  8. Web site: Reign announce two roster moves . . December 18, 2019 . December 18, 2019.
  9. Web site: IceHogs add ECHL top scorer Gabriel Gagne . . January 18, 2020 . January 18, 2020.
  10. Web site: Gabriel Gagne signs with Stjernen . . June 5, 2021 . June 5, 2021 . Norwegian.
  11. Web site: 2021-08-03. Former Quebec Senators prospect accused of sexual assault. 2021-10-25. Archyde. en-US.
  12. Web site: Cameron. Alana. Former B-Sen facing sexual assault charges. 2021-10-25. Quinte News. en.
  13. Web site: 2021-08-03. Former Quebec Senators prospect accused of sexual assault. 2021-10-25. Archyde. en-US.