Sam Gagner
2021 Statline
Games Played: 42
Goals: 7
Assists: 8
+/-: -4
Preseason Projection
Middle/Bottom Pairing Winger or Center
2021 Season in a Nutshell
The hockey metrics agree: Sam Gagner was quietly solid throughout the year. The highlight of his first full year in Detroit was the hat trick against Nashville Predators in February, but other than that flash-in-the-pan, most of Gagner’s contributions to the time were under-the-radar.
Gagner finished the season with a 48.4 CF% and tied for the most points among Red Wings players over 30. While he didn’t light up the scoresheet, Gagner was a great fit for Jeff Blashill’s scheme: defensively sound and occasionally effective offensively. He did all the “little things” right, winning puck battles and making smart, safe passes to drive the offense.
They Said It
“If you look at most of the underlying statistics that we keep, generally, he wins his shifts. His expected goals for when he’s on the ice is better than expected goals against on a consistent basis, night in and night out. Wherever he’s playing in the lineup he’s done an excellent job, both in his play and his example.”
-Jeff Blashill via the Detroit News