Sam Gagner headed back to Oilers; Canucks deal him for Ryan Spooner

Sam Gagner is back with the Edmonton Oilers, the team with which he spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career.

The Oilers acquired Gagner in a deal Saturday with Vancouver that sent centre Ryan Spooner to the Canucks. The Oilers expected to have the 29-year-old Gagner for their road game against the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

“We’ve liked Sam to be a part of our club,” Oilers assistant GM Keith Gretzky said on the team’s website. “He can add experience in the locker-room and we think he can help us on our power play.”

The Oilers selected Gagner sixth overall in the 2007 draft, and the 29-year-old posted five consecutive seasons with 41 or more points to start his NHL career.

He’s spent most of this roller-coaster season however on loan to the Toronto Marlies, scoring 12 goals and picking up 37 points in 43 AHL games.

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“It’s a great situation for us and for himself,” Gretzky said. “He wants to play in the NHL and he’s going to get an opportunity. I feel that he’s going to help our hockey club.”

The deal comes less than a day after the Oilers sent Cam Talbot to Philadelphia for fellow goalie Anthony Stolarz.

Meanwhile, Vancouver is the third NHL stop this season for Spooner, who has split his 2018-19 campaign between the New York Rangers, Oilers and Bakersfield Condors.

The 27-year-old from Ottawa had two points (1-1-2) in 16 games with the Rangers, three points (2-1-3) in 25 games with the Oilers and six points (2-4-6) in seven games with the Condors.

Originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the second round, 45th overall in the 2010 NHL draft, Spooner has collected 163 NHL points (48-115-163) in 314 career games.

The Canadian Press