The Ottawa Senators brought on veteran NHL center Sam Gagner for the next phase of his hockey career.
Gagner is now the director of player development for the Senators after a 1,043-game NHL career.
“Sam had an incredible career as a player, and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” Senators GM Steve Staios said in a news release. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”
Gagner recently played for the AHL’s Belleville Senators in the 2024-25 season after signing a professional tryout with the team. He made 19 appearances and recorded 10 assists for Belleville up until the NHL trade deadline.
The 35-year-old has played 1,043 games in the NHL across 17 years. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets.
He spent most of his career with the Oilers, which selected him sixth overall in the 2007 NHL draft. He played 10 seasons with Edmonton in three different stints. Gagner’s first seven years in the NHL were with Edmonton, followed by another two seasons from 2018 to 2020.
He also played his last NHL season with his draft team in 2023-24, featuring in 28 games, scoring five goals and 10 points.
Gagner’s career high in points came in the 2016-17 season with the Blue Jackets, when he had 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 81 games. He also has seven 40-point campaigns in his career.
While Gagner only appeared in 11 NHL playoff games in his career – six games with Philadelphia in 2015-16 and five with Columbus the following year – he does have some championship hardware.
In 2012, Gagner won the Spengler Cup with Team Canada, recording three assists in four games. He was part of a star-studded Canadian squad that year during the 2012-13 NHL lockout, playing with Matt Duchene, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin and more.
Gagner also won gold with Canada at the 2006-07 world juniors, the same season he made the CHL’s all-rookie team with 118 points in 53 games on the OHL’s London Knights.
The Senators also hired Matt Turek as the new GM for Belleville. He’s been a GM and scout in the OHL for the last decade, and he was an amateur scout for the Montreal Canadiens from 2017 to 2022.
Turek played a key role in the former Hamilton Bulldogs’ OHL championship wins in 2018 and 2022 as the director of player personnel before becoming their GM from 2022 to 2025, including during the squad’s move to Brantford.
Senators owner Michael Andlauer owned the Bulldogs up until midway through this season, when he sold the team to the family of Edmonton Oilers left winger Zach Hyman. The Bulldogs announced Thursday that Spencer Hyman will take over as GM.
“Matt has managed a successful Ontario Hockey League team, and he has gained a critical management skills and experience at that level,” Staios said. “In addition to his experience, Matt will bring passion and leadership to our organization.”
These additions come after the Senators parted ways with associate GM Ryan Bowness earlier in May.
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