Aaron Gagnon: Difference between revisions

| image = Aaron Gagnon Iowa.JPGjpg

| league =[[National League (ice hockey)|NL]]

| team = [[SCL Tigers]]

| former_teamsplayed_for = [[Dallas Stars]]<br>[[Winnipeg Jets]]<br>[[HV71]]<br>[[Lukko]]<br>[[SC Bern]]<br>[[SCL Tigers]]

'''Aaron Gagnon''' (born April 24, 1986) is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] former professional [[ice hockey]] [[Centre (ice hockey)|centre]] who isplayed currently playing forin the [[SCLNational TigersHockey League]] of(NHL) with the [[NationalDallas LeagueStars]] (iceand hockey)|National[[Winnipeg LeagueJets]] (NL).

Gagnon was born on April 24, 1986, in [[Quesnel, British Columbia|Quesnel]], [[British Columbia]], to parents Kelly and Barry Gagnon.<ref name="home">{{cite news|last=Drinnan |first=Gregg |title=It felt like a home game for two Thunderbirds |publisher=Kamloops Daily News |date=2005-02-26 |url=}}</ref> Despite being born in Quesnel, GagnonHe was raised in [[Armstrong, British Columbia|Armstrong]], [[British Columbia]].<ref name="home"/> Gagnon has a sister, Jillian, and a brother, Bryn.<ref name="home"/> His brother Bryn is also an [[ice hockey]] player, having played for the [[Salmon Arm Silverbacks]] of the [[British Columbia Hockey League]] and currently a member of the [[SAIT Polytechnic|Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Trojans]] of the [[Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Bryn Gagnon|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=76392|publisher=The Internet Hockey Database|accessdateaccess-date=2007-10-26}}</ref>

Gagnon was drafted in the 5th round, 83rd overall by the [[Seattle Thunderbirds]] in the 2001 [[WHL Bantam Draft]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bantam Draft |url=http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/history/bantam.php |publisher=Seattle Thunderbirds |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070304031631/http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/history/bantam.php |archivedatearchive-date=March 4, 2007 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In the [[2001–02 WHL season|season]] immediately following the draft, Gagnon played in 2 games with the Thunderbirds, while spending most of the season with his North Okanagan Midget AA team of the [[British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association|BCAHA]] where he scored 59 goals and 118 points in only 41 games to lead the team in scoring.<ref name="seagag">{{cite web |title=Aaron Gagnon |url=http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/roster/indiv.php?player_id=245 |publisher=Seattle Thunderbirds |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930021058/http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/roster/indiv.php?player_id=245 |archivedatearchive-date=September 30, 2007 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> One year later, Gagnon began his [[2002–03 WHL season|rookie season]] with Seattle. In 60 games, Gagnon scored 18 points while adding another 5 points in 15 playoff games. Gagnon's [[2003–04 WHL season|sophomore season]] was a large improvement over his rookie campaign. With 36 points in 63 games, Gagnon doubled his previous seasons' point total. Gagnon's defensive game also improved, as he led the Thunderbirds in [[Plus-minus (ice hockey)|plus/minus]] with a plus-18.<ref name="seagag"/>

Gagnon's [[2004–05 WHL season|third season]] in the WHL proved to be one of his most successful. After setting new career highs in goals (31), assists (34), and points (65) in 72 games, Gagnon was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team and was named the Western Conference nomination for the [[Brad Hornung Trophy]] as the WHL's most sportsmanlike player of the year,<ref>{{cite press release|title=WHL Announces 2004–05 Award Finalists and Conference All-Star Teams |url=http://www.whl.ca/headlines/?id=2873&showToc=1 |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=March 23, 2005 |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011440/http://www.whl.ca/headlines/?id=2873&showToc=1 |archivedatearchive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> an award he ultimately lost to [[Kris Russell]] of the [[Medicine Hat Tigers]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Western Hockey League Announces 2004–05 Annual Award Winners |url=http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=3009&showToc=1& |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=May 4, 2005 |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011351/http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=3009&showToc=1& |archivedatearchive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref>

On September 22, 2005, just prior to the start of his [[2005–06 WHL season|fourth full WHL season]], Gagnon was named [[Captain (ice hockey)|captain]] of the Thunderbirds.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gagnon named T-Birds 2005–06 captain|publisher=OurSports Central|date=2005-09-22 |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3225754|accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11}}</ref>

Gagnon's [[2006–07 WHL season|final season]] with the Thunderbirds was arguably the best of his [[Western Hockey League|WHL]] career. Serving once again as the Thunderbirds' [[Captain (ice hockey)|captain]], Gagnon finished the season with career highs in goals (42), assists (38), and points (80) in only 59 games. During the season, Gagnon was twice named the [[Boston Pizza]] WHL Player of the Week and was also named the [[Husky Energy|Husky]] WHL Player of the Month for December.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Aaron Gagnon, Seattle Thunderbirds: Feb 19 – Feb 25 |url=http://www.whl.ca/potw/index.php?id=6343&showToc=1& |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=February 26, 2007 |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011546/http://www.whl.ca/potw/index.php?id=6343&showToc=1& |archivedatearchive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> At the completion of the regular season, Gagnon was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team<ref>{{cite press release|title=WHL Announces 2006–07 Conference All Star Teams |url=http://whl.ca/news/?id=6582&showToc=1&game_id= |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=March 22, 2007 |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011726/http://whl.ca/news/?id=6582&showToc=1&game_id= |archivedatearchive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> and was the Western Conference nomination for both the [[Four Broncos Memorial Trophy]] as the WHL's [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]], and the [[Brad Hornung Trophy]] as the WHL's most sportsmanlike player of the year.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Gagnon and Russell Named WHL Player of the Year Finalists |url=http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=6809&showToc=1& |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=April 18, 2007 |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011754/http://whl.ca/news/index.php?id=6809&showToc=1& |archivedatearchive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> For the second time in his WHL career, Gagnon lost out on an award to [[Kris Russell]] of the [[Medicine Hat Tigers]], losing the [[Four Broncos Memorial Trophy]]; however, Gagnon did manage to win his first [[Brad Hornung Trophy]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Riley |first=Jim |title=Gagnon, Beach take home WHL awards|publisher=The Seattle Times|date=2007-02-08 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003690909_whl03.html?syndication=rss|accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11}}</ref>

Gagnon was drafted in the eighth round, 240th overall by the [[Phoenix Coyotes]] in the [[2004 NHL Entry Draft]]. On February 2, 2007, Gagnon signed a three-year entry-level contract with the [[Dallas Stars]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Stars Sign Center Aaron Gagnon to Three-Year Deal |url=http://stars.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=315920&nhlLink=true&page=NewsPage&service=page |publisher=Dallas Stars |date=February 2, 2007 |accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519103825/http://stars.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=315920&nhlLink=true&page=NewsPage&service=page |archivedatearchive-date=May 19, 2011 }}</ref>

On July 1, 2011, Gagnon signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the [[Winnipeg Jets]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Tait|first=Ed|title=Jets proceed cautiously in free-agent market|url=http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/07/02/jets-proceed-cautiously-in-free-agent-market/|work=National Post|accessdateaccess-date=July 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706032058/http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/07/02/jets-proceed-cautiously-in-free-agent-market/|archive-date=July 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In early August 2013, after spending his first five professional seasons in North America, Gagnon signed for two- years with the [[Swedish Hockey League]] team [[HV71]], joining [[Riley Holzapfel]] whom he played with in [[St. John's IceCaps]].<ref name="SHL-contract">{{cite web|last=Wengel|first=Daniel|title=Gagnon blir sista pusselbiten|url=http://www.hv71.se/artikel/40319/|work=HV71.se|date=2013-08-07|accessdateaccess-date=2013-08-08|language=Swedishsv}}</ref> In the [[2013–14 SHL season|2013–14 season]], Gagnon appeared in only 9 games with HV71 before opting to transfer to the Finnish [[Liiga]] with [[Lukko|Lukko Rauma]]. He stayed at Lukko until January 25, 2017, and then moved to [[SC Bern]] of the [[National League (ice hockey)|National League]] (NL), where he inked a deal for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.scb.ch/no_cache/news/top-meldung/newsitem//aaron-gagnon-bis-zum-saisonende-beim-scb.html|title=Aaron Gagnon bis zum Saisonende beim SCB|newspaper=SCB Eishockey AG|language=de|access-date=2017-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125194341/http://www.scb.ch/no_cache/news/top-meldung/newsitem//aaron-gagnon-bis-zum-saisonende-beim-scb.html|archive-date=January 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On April 1, 2004, Gagnon was named to the [[Canadians|Canadian]] roster for the [[2004 IIHF World U18 Championships]] in [[Minsk]], [[Belarus]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Canada’sCanada's 2004 World Under-18 Championship Roster Named |url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/1/0/9/7/7/index1.shtml|publisher=Hockey Canada|date=April 1, 2004|accessdateaccess-date=2007-05-11}}</ref>

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