How much blame do we lay at the feet of Gagner this morning after he was on the ice for all 3 goals against the Oilers in the game against the Kings? That’s a topic that came up while I was talking to Lowetide (AKA Allan Mitchell) on TSN1260 today. I couldn’t help but notice how everybody seems to have finally had enough with Gagner and how he struggles in his own zone. Tis the season to rain hate down on Gagner, I guess, but watching the replays I really only lay fault for one goal on the former 6th Overall pick.



This is the goal by King, in which Gagner had a hand in but I’m hesitant to say was the primary culprit. Notice Belov’s position at the beginning of the play. He is exactly where you expect him to be, but, when the puck makes its way around the boards and finds Drew Doughty Belov takes off like rocket towards LA’s big defender. Belov chases the superior skating Doughty up the wall and right to the top of the circle (12 seconds) leaving the twig armed Larsen to defend the net. Gagner unquestionably makes a mistake in covering for Belov because although he moves in the direction that Belov came from he never goes to the side of the net to help Larsen.

I would LOVE to be in on the video session that Eakins’ staff had about this one. I wish I was privy to knowing exactly what the rookie Head Coach wanted Belov and Gagner to do in that situation. I cant imagine the system calls for Belov to take a walk-about with Larsen alone at the net.



Here is Jordan Nolan’s goal. I wont call this a fluky goal, as I saw many do when it first happened. This goal was the result of a boneheaded decision to change, and Gagner just happened to on the ice. Gagner did fail to get the puck deep when he was leaving his own zone, BUT if you look at the 34 second mark of the video you will see that Gagner lost that puck because Justin Williams gave him an unpenalized slash across the forearm. 89 lost the puck and it slid up to Greene.

What kills the Oilers there is that Nick Schultz figures that considering the puck is not in their possession and on their side of the neutral zone it would be a PERFECT time to change. There is literally nobody on Nolan’s side of the ice. Nobody…For miles.



This is the one I blame on Gagner. This empty net goal happened because of tunnel vision and a lack of situational awareness. Gagner clearly has 2 kings in front of him and an open passing lane to Schultz who himself has an open shooting lane. Instead of moving the puck quickly to the open man, Gagner fires the puck at the two Kings. The shot is predictably blocked as time expires on Dustin Brown’s penalty, and the King’s Captain is readily available to get the puck for one of the easiest goals of his career.

I know it’s in vogue to blame Gagner for everything, and he has struggled, but as I see it he was only directly responsible for 1 goal against last night. Gagner has a 922 PDO this season. It looks like every mistake he makes ends up in the back of the net because a lot of them are. When Gagner is on the ice the Oilers are getting .844sv% from their Goaltending and studies show that really isn’t in his control and is not a result of his play. This is a lowpoint in Gagner’s career. He’s injured, not scoring at his usual rate, and getting the worst puckluck of his life.

Don’t give up on him yet. He’s better than this, and not everything that happens is his fault.

If you want to listen to that conversation I had with Lowetide on TSN1260 then check it out below. I am on for roughly the first 17 minutes.



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