2012 Hockey Arbitration Competition of

Sam Gagner v. The Oilers Submission on Behalf of Midpoint: $3.2 Million Submission by: Team Number 1

Table of Contents:

I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision 1

II. Quality of the Players Contributions During Past 1

III. Length and Consistency of Career Contributions 3

IV. Existence of Physical or Mental Defects 4

V. Intangible Qualities 5

VI. Comparative Player Salaries 5

VII. Past Compensation 9

VIII. Conclusion 9

I. Introduction and Request for Hearing Decision

This brief analyzes the contributions of forward Sam Gagner for the purposes of an arbitration hearing governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Criteria for analysis include: quality of contribution to the club during the past season, career contributions, player intangibles, recent club performance, physical injuries, comparable hockey salaries and past compensation.

Based on these criteria, Sam Gagner is entitled to a salary greater than the $3.2 million midpoint and the NHLPA respectfully submits an offer of $3.5 million.

II. Quality of the Player’s Contributions During Past Season

During his platform season, Sam Gagner accomplished a feat that has only been replicated by two other in franchise history: and .1

On February 2nd 2012, in a regular season game against the , Sam Gagner had 4 goals and 4 assists in the final two periods, as the Oilers defeated the Blackhawks 8-4.

Gagner’s 8 points matched a single game total last achieved 23 years ago a period longer than the lifetime of the player at hand.2 In the following game versus the ,

Sam Gagner contributed to the first three points of the game, becoming the first Oiler in franchise history to record a point on eleven consecutive goals. In a five-game span between

January 31st and February 8th 2012, the player at hand would record 15 points, garnering the

NHL’s First Star of the Week Honours for his accomplishments.3

While Gagner’s early February numbers are near impossible for any NHL player to sustain, the flash of brilliance is a clear testament that the player at had is a dangerous asset given

1 Gagner Ties Team Mark With Eight Points in Oilers Win: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386789 2 Unexpected Night is Changing Atmosphere for Oilers’ Gagner: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386857 3 , Player News, Sam Gagner: http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player- pn.cgi?6052

1 the right surroundings. Sam Gagner is a natural playmaker, with “an uncanny ability to find the open man.”4 In his eight point game, Gagner played alongside the team’s two best natural scorers, and .5 Gagner’s February hot streak showed his ability to be an elite scorer in the National Hockey League in the right environment.

Potential aside, Sam Gagner’s 2011-2012 season statistics demonstrate that Gagner is an elite second line NHL player. It is important to note that among the 30 NHL teams, there are 90 first-line players, 90 second-line players, and so on. According to NHL.com, the player at hand ranked 105th in points amongst NHL forwards during 2011-2012.6 Removing the 90 first line players, Gagner’s ranks in the top 15 of second line caliber players in total points.

In comparison to his teammates, Gagner’s 47 points in his platform year ranked fourth on the Oilers, behind teammates Eberle, Hall, and Nugent-Hopkins, all of whom had more time-on- ice per game.7 Although Gagner impressively scored 35 of his 47 points at even strength, he still played a prominent role on the Oilers power play in his platform year, registering nearly 2½ minutes of ice time per game, and scoring 6 power play goals, good for 3rd on the team.8

Gagner’s offensive skill has also been an asset during shootouts. In his platform year, he netted 6 goals on 9 attempts (67% scoring rate), which ranked first on his team, and 5th in the NHL among players with 2 plus shootout attempts.9 During the 2011-2012 season, 172 of 1230 (or

14%) of NHL games went to shootout.10 Having an adept shootout scorer on your team is an invaluable and underrated asset. Additionally, Gagner’s +5 plus-minus during his platform season ranked first on the Oilers and was a career high, a sign of Gagner’s maturation as a two-

4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 6 NHL.com – Statistics: http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20122ALLSASAll&sort=points&viewName=summary 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid.

2 way forward for the Oilers. Gagner was one of only two regulars in the Oilers lineup to have a plus minus above even. Based on Sam Gagner’s offensive production, his power play ability, and his shootout success during the 2011-2012 season, it is clear that Sam Gagner is a reliable top six forward, and should be compensated as such. For reference, Gagner’s 2011-2012 stats are listed below:

2011 – 2012 Statistical Breakdown Per Team Team GP G A Pts +/- PIM PPG Shots PtsPG Edmonton 75 18 29 47 5 36 6 149 .63

It should also be noted that Sam Gagner suffered a sprained ankle in a preseason game of his platform year vs. the Flames, which caused him to be sidelined for nearly a month. Gagner missed the team’s final 3 preseason games as well as the first 6 games of the season.11 It is not surprising therefore, that the player at hand had a slow start to the 2011-2012 season, registering only 6 points in 18 games. That being said, in the final 57 games of the season, Gagner more than doubled his PPG output, scoring 41 points, averaging .72 points-per-game.12

Gagner G A Pts +/- PPG First 18 Games 0 6 6 0 .33 Last 57 Games 18 23 41 5 .72

III. Length and Consistency of Career Contributions

Though Sam Gagner has enjoyed sustained success over his first five years in the NHL, his career potential is still untapped. In his first and only season with the of the

OHL, Gagner had an astounding 35 goals and 83 assists, totaling 118 points, in only 53 games.13

While it is understandable that the competition level is lessened in the NHL, Gagner’s ability to score 2.23 PPG as a seventeen year old is a testament to his offensive ability.

11 Oilers’ Gagner Out Week-to-Week With Sprained Ankle: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/story/?id=376886&hubname=nhl-oilers 12 NHL.com Statistics 13 NHL.com Statistics: http://oilers.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8474040

3 Since being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers 6th overall in 2007, Sam Gagner has proven to be a reliable 2nd line forward. Gagner made the Oilers NHL Club in his first season as an eighteen year old, scoring 49 points. Over the next three seasons, Gagner has consistently put up

40 point plus seasons. He has never been a healthy scratch in his 5-year career, nor has he suffered any significant injuries. Although Gagner still has most of his career ahead of him, he has already played in 366 career games, and scored 220 points. Of those drafted in 2007, only

Patrick Kane has more career points.14 His individual stats over the course of his career are listed below.

Sam Gagner Career Statistics (Regular Season) Year Team GP G A Pts +/- PIM Shots PtsPG Totals Edmonton 366 77 143 220 -42 180 748 .60 2011-12 Edmonton 75 18 29 47 5 36 149 .63 2010- 11 Edmonton 68 15 27 42 -17 37 138 .62 2009-10 Edmonton 68 15 26 41 -8 33 170 .60 2008-09 Edmonton 76 16 25 41 -1 51 156 .54 2007-08 Edmonton 79 13 36 49 -21 23 135 .62 2006-07 London 53 35 83 118 32 36 (OHL)

It should be noted that Gagner, despite having 5 years of NHL experience, only recently turned 23 years of age. Putting this in perspective, Same Gagner is born in the same year as many NCAA senior college hockey players, including the 2012 Hobey Baker award winner, Jack

Connelly.15 Clearly, despite Gagner’s significant NHL experience, he is by most standards still considered to be youthful by National Hockey League standards.

IV. Existence of Physical or Mental Defects

Sam Gagner has suffered from relatively few injuries throughout his five-year career. His injuries have been minor and common NHL hockey players and include a sprained ankle in 2011

14 Oilers’, Gagner Face Arbitration: http://www.canada.com/sports/Oilers+Gagner+face+arbitration/6964508/story.html 15 Supra note 3.

4 and a minor back injury in 2012.16 Gagner’s injuries over the past five years have mainly been musculoskeletal in nature; something common in a physical sport like hockey. In his platform season, Gagner played in 75 games, ranking 6th among Oiler forwards. Gagner has demonstrated durability and overall good health during his five NHL seasons.

V. Intangible Qualities

In additional to Gagner’s statistics, the player at hand possesses leadership skills and intangibles of an athlete well beyond his years. He has developed into a leader in the Oilers locker room and on the ice. For example, in January of 2012, after Beauchemin attempted to land a questionable hit on the Oilers young star Taylor Hall, Gagner dropped the gloves with the

“bigger, tougher” Beauchemin. While Sam Gagner was beat up fairly badly, his actions sent a clear message to his teammates of his commitment to the team and his “won’t back down” attitude.

VI. Comparative Player Salaries

Sam Gagner’s value may be best realized through comparison to players of similar style, production, statistical achievements and career length. These comparisons demonstrate that Sam

Gagner is worth in excess of his 3.2 million dollar midpoint for the 2012-2012 season.

a.

Andre Kostitsyn became arbitration eligible after the 2010-2011 season and, in comparison to Sam Gagner, helps prove that Gagner’s value is higher than 3.2 million dollars. In

2011, Kostitsyn signed a one-year deal worth 3.25 million dollars.17

Andre Kostitsyn has very similar statistics to Sam Gagner. In 40 less games played at the times of their respective arbitration eligibility, Kostitsyn had 91 goals and 99 assists for a total of

16 Francois Beauchemin vs Sam Gagner Jan 13, 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT7gvsOJMI4 17 Capgeek.com: http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=87.

5 190 points, good for a point per game average of 0.58.18 Comparably, Gagner has scored 77 goals and has 143 assists for a 220 total points, a 0.60 points per game average. The two players produce a mid-40 point total each year, Gagner being more consistent in this regard, having never scored less than 41 points in a season,

Their platform years are also remarkably similar. Kostitsyn played in 81 games in 2010-

2011, scoring 20 goals with 25 assists, totaling 45 points. He averaged just over 15 minutes of ice time per game, with a little over 2 minutes of that coming on the power play.19 Gagner recorded 47 points in 2011-2012 including 18 goals and 29 assists in 75 games. He averaged just over 17 minutes of ice time per game with nearly two and a half minutes on the power play.

Andre Kostitsyn has enjoyed considerably more team success, reaching the in 5 of his professional seasons. Gagner has never qualified for the playoffs with the Oilers. This indicates the quality of team each player has been a part of and has little to do with their individual contributions. The Oilers have been undergoing a well-publicized rebuild, a process that has been underway since Gagner’s arrival in Edmonton. In , Kostitsyn was part of a team that featured stars such as Brian Gionta, Mike Cammaleri, and .

The comparison of team quality reflects the reality of each situation and is a testament to the statistical achievements of Gagner, who established himself as a consistent offensive performer despite overall team struggles.

Furthermore, Gagner is a young leader amongst even younger teammates. He is a tenured veteran in comparison to the numerous youth on the Oilers roster.

Andrei Kostitsyn is certainly an offensively skilled player, but as his stats indicate, he is not more productive than Gagner, a similarly skilled offensive player. The similarity in their

18 NHL.com: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470603#&navid=nhl-search. 19 Ibid: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470603&view=splits.

6 career and platform year statistics, Gagner’s production on a struggling team, his leadership ability and their comparative salaries justify a salary in excess of 3.2 million dollars for Gagner.

b.

In comparison to Sergei Kostitsyn, Sam Gagner’s salary should exceed 3.2 million dollars. Kostitsyn received 3 million dollars per year as a midpoint in 2012, his arbitration year.20

The two players are both offensively skilled. In 307 career games, Kostitsyn has 64 goals, 97 assists and 161 points.21 Gagner’s 220 points exceed Kostitsyn’s total, as does his points per game average of 0.60 compared to 0.52 for Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn struggled with consistency in his first few seasons and was transferred between the Canadiens and their AHL affiliate, the

Hamilton Bulldogs, numerous times. Gagner has been a mainstay on the Oiler’s roster since he was drafted in 2007, performing consistently throughout.

Gagner enjoyed a slightly more productive platform year, totaling 47 points compared to

Kostitsyn’s 43. The two players averaged very similar time on ice per game, but Gagner spent more time on the power play. Again, Kostitsyn enjoyed the benefit of playing on a more talented team. The Predators finished the 2011-2012 season fourth in the tough western conference while the Oilers finished second to last. Gagner also achieved a higher goals versus threshold ranking

(“GVT”), ranking over 50 spots higher than Kostitsyn in 2011-2012.22

Sergei Kostitsyn has not demonstrated the same leadership and responsibility that Gagner has. He was suspended twice in 2009 with the Canadiens, once for deserting the Hamilton

Bulldogs and once for holding out before reporting to training camp.23

20 Capgeek.com: http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=86. 21 NHL.com: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471859#&navid=nhl-search. 22 PuckProspectus.com: http://www.puckprospectus.com/sortable/. 23 The Canadian Press, “Sergei Kostitsyn suspended by again after leaving AHL club”, The Hockey News (21 October 2009), http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/28740-Sergei-Kostitsyn-suspended-by- Montreal-Canadiens-again-after-leaving-AHL-club.html.

7 The consistency found in Gagner’s career production, his leadership and overall better statistics justify an award for Gagner in excess of 3.2 million dollars. Gagner should earn more than just 200,000 relative to Kostitsyn, who until the past two years, has struggled both with production and professionalism.

c. Clarke MacArthur

Clarke MacArthur signed a two-year contract in his 2011 arbitration eligible year valued at a midpoint of 3.25 million dollars per year.24 His 2010-2011 platform year was a career statistical year. Despite this, the comparison of Gagner to MacArthur demonstrates Gagner’s value as in excess of 3.2 million dollars.

Clarke MacArthur’s 2010-2011 year was truly a career year for him. He set career highs in goals (21), assists (41) and total points (62).25 He averaged just over 17 minutes of ice time per game and almost 3 minutes on the power play, similar to Gagner’s averages.26 MacArthur’s platform year was comparatively better than Gagner’s.

However, over their respective careers, Gagner has enjoyed the greater success. His consistency bests MacArthur who, until 2010-2011, had not scored over 40 points. At the time of their respective arbitration eligible years, Gagner had more impressive career statistics. In 290 games, MacArthur scored 65 goals, had 85 assists and recorded 150 total points, an average of

0.52 points per game, less than Gagner’s 0.6 points per game average. It is not uncharacteristic for a player to have a career season in a free agent year. In his one season since, MacArthur’s point total dropped by 19 points, almost one third of his production from the year before.

Comparatively, Gagner has steadily produced about 45 points per year and it is this consistency

24 Capgeek.com: http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=381. 25 NHL.com: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470667#&navid=nhl-search. 26 Ibid: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470667&view=splits.

8 as well as the potential for continued and improved offensive production that should be rewarded.

In comparison to Clarke MacArthur, who, despite a better platform year, has worse statistical numbers, Gagner’s value is in excess of his 3.2 million dollar midpoint.

VII. Past Compensation

Gagner is coming off a year where he earned only 2.35 million27, despite being the team’s 2nd line centre for the majority of the year, and recording nearly 47 points.

VIII. Conclusion

The Oilers are currently made up of a young nucleus of players that have improved steadily over the last 2 years. In the 2011-2012 year, the Oilers earned 74 points, attaining their best record since the 2008-2009 season. Sam Gagner has played an instrumental role in the development of the team, and will be an integral part of the team’s future success. Gagner’s consistent production establishes him as a strong top-6 NHL forward. His leadership, discipline, and durability also contribute to his overall value. For these reasons, it is submitted that Sam

Gagner should be awarded a midpoint salary in excess of 3.2 million dollars.

27 Sam Gagner, Capgeek.com: http://capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=23

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