Simon Gagné

Simon Gagné (French pronunciation: [simɔ̃ ɡaɲe]; born February 29, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger.

He played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He has appeared in two NHL All-Star Games and has won two Bobby Clarke Trophies with the Flyers as team MVP.

His rookie season saw him play primarily at centre and score 20 goals and 28 assists in 80 games, good enough to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

He also scored an important overtime goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Once the 2004–05 NHL lockout came to an end, Gagné assumed a greater role on the Flyers and played most of the year as the left winger on the top line with Peter Forsberg and Mike Knuble.

In the 2007–08 season, Gagné recorded 18 points in 25 games before being shut down for the year on February 20 after being told to sit out by doctors.

He suffered the initial concussion on October 25, 2007, when he was hit in the jaw with a check from Florida Panthers defenceman Jay Bouwmeester.

Although the Flyers' orthopedic surgeon recommended surgery, Gagné opted for a second opinion with his personal doctor in Montreal.

The surgery repaired the two small hernias in his right groin laparoscopically through his belly button, while reinforcing his rectus abdominis on both sides.

[9] On July 19, 2010, Gagné was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

On June 11, 2012, he won the Stanley Cup over the Devils, along with former Flyers teammates Jeff Carter and Mike Richards.

[12] In the following 2012–13 lockout-shortened season, Gagné sparingly appeared in 11 games with the Kings before on February 26, 2013, he was traded back to Philadelphia in exchange for a conditional fourth-round draft pick.

In his first game back, Gagné registered his first goal of the season on a power play, assisted by Brayden Schenn and Daniel Brière, ending a 32-game goalless streak, the longest of his professional career.

[16] After scoring 3 goals in 23 games, it was announced on January 12, 2015, that Gagné would not return to the Bruins in the 2014–15 season after his father's death in December 2014.

Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Gagné competed in the 2004 World Cup, where he captured his second consecutive international championship with Team Canada, contributing two points in six games.

Attempting to defend their gold medal from 2002, Canada was defeated in the quarter-finals by Russia and finished in seventh place.

Gagné with the Tampa Bay Lightning in October 2010.
Gagné with the Boston Bruins in October 2014.