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Former Flyers’ Forward Simon Gagne Retires from the NHL

Simon Gagne (Photo: Jim O'Connor)

Simon Gagne (Photo: Jim O’Connor)

 

The 35 year old, St. Foy, Quebec native spent 14 years in the National Hockey League where he scored 291 goals and 310 assists over a span of 882 games. Eleven seasons were spent with the Flyers.

Gagne said in a press release from the Flyers, “Today, I want to thank my trainers and teammates. You inspired me to surpass myself. You made me understand that it takes more than talent; it takes sacrifice and discipline and you need to work harder than your rivals.”

He also added, “I want to thank my fans. Every evening you energized and inspired me to perform.”

Gagne’s 234 Flyers goals ranks him ninth on the franchise’s all-time list of goal scorers and his 535 Flyers points, ranks him 10th in team history. He also is fourth in team history for goals and points by a Flyers left winger.

In 90 career playoff games Gagne put up 32 goals and 15 assists. Ranking him eight all time in Flyers playoff goals and tied for seventh in playoff game winning goals for the team.

In the eleven seasons in Philadelphia, Gagne led the team in goals three times and led in points twice. He was a recipient of the team’s most valuable player award, known as the Blobby Clarke Trophy, two times and represented the Flyers in the NHL All Star Game two times.

After spending his first 10 seasons in Philadelphia, the 22nd overall selection in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 19, 2010, for defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth round pick in the 2011 draft.

Gagne spent one season in Tampa Bay and parts of two in Los Angeles, where he helped the Los Angeles Kings capture the Stanley Cup in 2012. He returned to Philadelphia on February 26, 2013, when the Kings dealt him for a conditional fourth round pick in the 2013 draft.

In retirement, Gagne plans to spend the next couple of months with his family. He has three kids, the youngest of which is four months, he plans to stay home in Quebec City to be a dad to them. He told the Flyers on their website, “My son just started to play hockey two years ago, so I will jump in and help him in that.”

He added, “After that, I do not know, I will sit back and see what is offered to me. Definitely, would like to be involved in hockey. It does not matter what position or whatever.” He continued, “I did do television a couple years ago, something that I would like to go back and do. If you get a call from a team that has got a job open, that would be interesting for me to do, to still be involved in the game and know what is going on even if you are not playing.”

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