We’d be lucky to get a bag of ruffles potato chips for sam gagner

I haven't scouted Gagner at all. Can you, as a Wings fan, tell me a bit about him:
Does he win faceoffs?
Is he reliable in the D-zone or is he a liability?
What offence does he have in him, if any?
Where in the lineup has he played for Detroit this season?
If you were a contending team, would you even think about acquiring him?

Thank you!

Deal

Typical depth veteran forward.

Pretty good in the faceoff dot, responsible in his own end, some offensive upside but not much. He's just good reliable playoff depth on any contending team. Somebody goes down? Plug him on your bottom 6.

I think he is a reliable defensively with limited upside offensively. He has bounced between the 3rd and 4th line, mainly at RW. He can play center and has in the past. Any contending team would probably play him on the wing, likely on the 3rd or 4th line, which is the smartest decision. I think a contending team would take a chance on Gagner. He does not carry significant cap, is a veteran player, and will not cost much. I think a 4th round draft pick is a fair asking price, but that can vary on his market. If anything, he can bring depth which we all know is needed come playoffs. So many injuries occur and oftentimes it is a war of attrition. Having a solid defensive forward like Gagner as an extra would not be a bad thing.

As a Wings fan, I'll give my two cents
1. He can win faceoffs, but it's not his forte. This is his only year above 50% in his career, so I'd consider him more of a winger that can take faceoffs if needed.
2. The defense is pretty good, nothing outstanding but it's at least a little above average for a bottom-sixer from what I've seen of him.
3. There's still that offensive flair he had back when he scored 8 points in that game from his early days, but his scoring isn't as big of a strength as it used to be. He's more of a role player now, but you'll still see some sick moves every once in a while when he carries the puck through the neutral zone.
4. He's mostly been on the 4th line, but he's available to be utilized pretty much anywhere in the bottom 6 if you need him to fill in.
5. If I was the GM of a contending team, the main reason to acquire him would be if I need experience/mentorship or just a reliable player to add to a struggling bottom 6. His price is probably a 5th (maybe a 4th if Detroit's lucky) on the open market, but he's the kind of player that GMs will want on their team, especially if there's a young guy in the bottom 6 that could use a mentor alongside him. He's a jack-of-all-trades kind of player and a really great guy.

@Roysboy72
@bobby37martin

So Gagner for a 4th or a conditional 5th? Yeah, sure, you've got a deal.

Yeah that's about the return I'd expect. If Stevie does move him, I suspect it would be to give a guy like Berggren a cup of coffee in the show

I'd like to see him get 9 games at the end of the season as well

Gagner wasn't traded last deadline. I don't think he'll be traded this deadline either. But you never know.