Sam Gagner's 8 point night ended with an unexpected text

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Joshua Deeds
August 30, 2023 (11:28)

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In February of 2012, when Sam Gagner was playing for the Edmonton Oilers, he had an 8-point performance.

In Gagner's first stint in Edmonton, he was able to pull off this epic performance, starting the game with no points in the first period and piling on 3 points in the second period and 5 points in the third period to make it an epic evening.

I got a text from Wayne Gretzky that I've still got saved. I screenshotted it. He said something like, «Congratulations. Welcome to the club.» He signed off � 99. I wasn't sure. I was like, «Is this actually him?» It just said � 99. I was like, «That's really cool if it is him.» I had to ask around, but it was actually his number.

Gagner would get a point on all eight goals against the Chicago Blackhawks that night and would become the 16th player in NHL history to score 8 points in a game.

During the game, not only did his teammates help him out by giving him their shifts on the ice so he could keep the points flowing, but he also received a text from someone unexpected.

«I was fortunate in a lot of ways that night,» Gagner said. «I got some bounces. And then the fact that the game was close as well, it doesn't feel like you're showboating or anything. I kept getting put out there.

«If you look at Connor's six-point night this year, we were up 6-2. And he doesn't play as much. Once I got to seven, we were up 7-4, but guys were still giving me their shifts � trying to give me their shifts. I felt like I could have gone forever.»

Wayne Gretzky sent him a simple, but effective text message welcoming him to the club of very few NHL players that have managed to score eight points in a single game.

As he commented, he wasn't certain at first if it was Gretzky himself, but once he followed it up with a phone call, he was able to confirm that it was Gretzky, and would later discuss the text and game with Gretzky and Paul Coffey.

There is no doubt that this was the most impressive night for Gagner that he will ever have in his playing career, as he was assisted by Taylor Hall, Andy Sutton, Cam Barker, Corey Potter, Ryan Whitney, and Jordan Eberle, all of whom contributed to Gagner's stat line that night.

There is no doubt that this event changed the course of his life forever and helped him to form relationships with former players of the Oilers and solidify a legacy that will last a lifetime.

As Seen On: theathletic.com

https://youtu.be/znJaA9CZ1K8?si=8Y16v5hi3nTS_6Ah