New York Islanders Top Unrestricted Free Agent Targets

Columbus Blue Jackets: Sam Gagner

If the New York Islanders choose to add a center with an unrestricted free agent my pick goes right to Sam Gagner.

He’s got a bad wrap around the league for a bad, bad season in Philadelphia after the Flyers acquired him in a trade for Chris Pronger and Nickolas Grossman. He put up 16 points in 53 games. A significant drop from the 41 he scored the year previous.

But after the Columbus Blue Jackets risked an insignificant $650,000 to bring in the 27-year-old center, Gagner seemed to get his goove back. Scoring 50 points.

His play on the man-advantage saw a return to form with eight goals and another ten points. Helping the Blue Jackets to a 19.9% efficiency.

At this point who knows what player the Isles might get if they go after Gagner. That season with Philadelphia really stands out. But the hope is that it was just a “blip”. It could have been the Flyers system that didn’t suit his game, or maybe it was his deployment that didn’t work.

Strength: He scored a career-high 50 last season. Eighteen of those points came on the power play.

Weakness: Who knows what Gagner we’d get. That Philadelphia season still happened.