One key Oilers player will not have name engraved on Stanley Cup if they win
If the Oilers are able to win the upcoming Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, Sam Gagner's name will not be eligible to be engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Gagner signed back with the Oilers this season on a Professional Tryout, made the roster, and was an incredible depth player for the Oilers in the first half of the season. Since acquiring Corey Perry, Gagner's role has been lost on the Oilers, and he hasn't played much since. Through the playoffs, he hasn't appeared once, and now he likely won't be eligible to have his name on the Stanley Cup.
The NHL has laid out the eligibility criteria as follows:
ENGRAVING ELIGIBILITY: A player is required to have appeared in at least 41 regular-season games with a team, or one Stanley Cup Final game, to be eligible to have his name engraved on the trophy.
If Gagner doesn't dress for at least one game in the Stanley Cup Final series, he won't have his name on the Stanley Cup. If there's any depth Oilers player that deserves it, it's Sam Gagner. The Oilers can file for an exemption, but that is directly granted by the NHL, usually for extenuating circumstances. Hopefully Knoblauch can find a game for Gagner to be inserted on the fourth line and play in sheltered minutes so he can get the official Cup win, but it's not a guarantee.
Despite not playing in the playoffs, Gagner has been present at most practices and team activities, always in the locker room with the team, and likely mentoring many younger players with his NHL experience. When Ryan McLeod was struggling in the Dallas Stars series, Gagner was one of the Oilers seen in the room speaking with him.
At 34 years old and no longer a regular NHL player, this could very will be the last season of Gagner's career. He's played 1043 career games with 7 different teams, scoring 529 points. Being drafted 6th overall by the Oilers in 2007, Gagner has always felt like an Oiler through his journeyman career, and it would only be right for him to retire with Edmonton. Gagner reportedly wants to return for another season next year, but there simply might not be room with this Oilers team.
If the Oilers are in a favourable position in the series and they are able to act more freely with the lineup, hopefully Gagner can find his way into a game. For his dedication to the Oilers through his career and even this year, he deserves his name etched on the Cup.
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Oilers need to play Gagner in the Final to get his name on the Cup? | ||
| Yes, they need to do right by him | 257 | 59.2 % |
| No, if it's not the best lineup, don't do it | 84 | 19.4 % |
| Only if the Oilers get a series lead | 74 | 17.1 % |
| See Results | 19 | 4.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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