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Wednesday, October 13, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER An Oakville Beaver Feature Editor: NORM NELSON 845-3824 (Extension 255) Fax:337-5567 Dave Gagner's Career Statistics Photo by Barrie trskine Dave Gagner and his his 10-year-old son Sam, who shares his father's passion for the game. lot and we're trying to find something along those lines. "But I'm also interested in working in the financial sector in Toronto and that's one of the things that being close to the "But it's something I'll have to decide." In the meantime, he's looking forward to spending some time with his family. "I haven't really had a consistent chance to do that for a long time, really. "My son is 10 and I've got two daugh­ ters 8 and 6 and they're really starting to get involved in everything." And he plans on getting involved, too. While the Minor Oaks Hockey Association has already benefited from the exNHLer's presence, the Oakville Hornets girls hockey association need not feel jealous. "I'm going to coach my daughter's hockey team this year," he said. "She's playing in the house league for the Hornets. It will be her first year play­ ing, so it's going to be exciting." Can his six-year-old daughter be far behind, making it a complete family affair? "I don't know. Maybe. If she wants to," said Gagner. "It's just that my eight- year-old has been really pressing us to play. She's really interested in it so that's what she wants to do. "I don't know if my youngest is going to be as interested?" His son, Sam, he acknowledged, is nuts about hockey. "He has a passion for the game like a lot of other boys his age. He has a lot of fun with it. Sam works hard at it. You know, he has the same dreams I had as a young kid." And living those dreams will be easi­ er with the move back to Canada. Hockey has made inroads in Florida with its new NHL team, but it still isn't exactly Hockey Central. 'That's another thing, moving to an area like this, it gives Sam a chance to pursue those dreams, as well. "We lived in Florida over the past two years, primarily -- because they didn't move to Vancouver with me. "While "Hockey is'growing theft, it's still not really at the level that it is here. "And for the amount that he really likes and enjoys the game and wants to improve at it, it's a great fit for him." For Gagner, it will mean taking a step back from hockey, and there's a lot he will miss about it. "Being around a lot of guys my own age and travelling and going out for din­ ner together and doing some other things that we do, just being involved in the whole dressing room scene sometimes is a lot of fun. I'm going to miss all those things." One thing that will remain is his love for the game. "I still enjoy watching hockey a lot. I watched the game last night (Toronto's home opener in which they defeated the Bruins 4-0) with Sam. "We talk about guys like Jonas Hoglund. I played a couple of years with him Calgary. We were Iinemates together so it's fun to see Hoglund getting a good chance. "It's fun to be able to sit down and watch games with Sam. Because actually when I was playing we would never sit down and watch games because after being at the rink all day it wasn't some­ thing I wanted to watch at night. "Now I can watch hockey and really enjoy it." Gagner played on six teams in his lengthy career, and they were, in order, the New York Rangers (three seasons), Minnesota/Dallas Stars (eight and a half seasons), Toronto Maple Leafs (half sea­ son), Calgary (one season), Florida (one and a half seasons) and Vancouver (half a season). "Nine years, I was in the Stars organi­ zation," he said. "I think identify myself mostly as a Minnesota/Dallas Star. I played over 600 games with that one team." To be precise, 609 games. And he recorded a total of 247 goals, 287 assists for 534 points. These totals rank Gagner among the all-time leaders in the Stars organization in games played (10th), goals (6th), power play goals (3rd), assists (8th) and points (6th). Gagner is the only player in franchise history to record six consecutive 30-goal seasons (1988-1994). During his third season with the North Stars (1990-91), Gagner recorded a career-high 82 points, adding 27 more points in playoff action, was named team MVP and represented Minnesota at the NHL all-star game. "I really actually enjoyed seeing them (the Stars) win (the Stanley Cup) last year because some of those guys like Mike Modano and Darien Hatcher, I mean I played with them for quite a while and we had some good times and we had some tough times. 'To see them reach the ultimate goal was satisfying. I wish I could have been there, but ... "That's one of the things I missed as a player was a Stanley Cup." He came close, though, in that magi­ cal 1990-91 season when he had his best output during both the regular season (82 points), then adding 27 points in 23 play­ off games during the Stars long playoff run. "That was the most fun year probably of all. "I didn't think there was any way we could lose it. Everything we could do was going our way. We seemed like a charmed team that year. "I still can't believe we didn't win it. I know Mario (Lemieux) had a lot do with it "We were up two games to one (in the Stanley Cup final against Pittsburgh). It was going the same way in every series. "It was just like it was written forT.V., and then everything just kind of stopped on us. The last three games they (Pittsburgh) beat us quite handily." He recalled the Stars power play was really cooking in the playoffs. "I think we have the record, still, for the most power play goals in the playoffs as a team. And you look at who we had on our power play compared to Edmonton, the Montreal Canadian years and all those great teams -- the Islanders when they had their dynasty -- you think somebody, especially Edmonton, would have had the most. "I think we had 25 (power play) goals in the playoffs that year as a team. "I don't think it ever happened in my career like it did that year where every­ thing we did was working. We had guys playing over their heads across the board. I still can't believe we lost. It was defi­ nitely the most enjoyable time that I had playing hockey. But there's been a lot of enjoyable times. And not all of them in the NHL. A 19 years of age he played for Canada at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. "I didn't really grasp how great that NHL veteran wants to spend more time with family By Norm Nelson BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR After battling it out through 15 tough NHL seasons, veteran Dave Gagner and his family have 'retired' to Oakville. "Last year was a tough year for me," he said. 'The enjoyment wasn't there as much as it was in the past." This season, for sure, will mark a huge change for the newly retired NHLer who spent the majority of his long and solid career with the Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars organization. He will still see the inside of a lot of arenas, but they'll be local arenas and he will be there in an entirely new capacity as 'Hockey Dad'. And that's where the local media caught up with him on a recent late week­ day afternoon. His 10-year-old son, Sam, has caught on with Oakville's triple-A minor atom rep hockey team, and dad was out helping head coach Ian Taylor and his coaching staff. It's always tough to hang up the skates, but Gagner, who also has two daughters, aged 8 and 6, knew the time had come. He finished up last season with Vancouver -- his sixth NHL team -- after being traded part way through the season from Florida. His output had dropped. Between Florida and Vancouver he compiled 28 points (6g, 22a) in 69 games. "I think my role was diminished a lot so l think it was a timing thing. To be honest, I don't know how much more I could play. __ ____ ____ "T t's jtist'3~j^xkl timing thing right now. My children are at a good age where I can spend a lot of time with them and have a lot of fun with them." A free agent, after his season ended in Vancouver, he didn't even bother to test the market. "I kind of decided in July that this was what I wanted to do. We've moved around a lot the last four years and this gives my wife and kids a chance to stay in one spot and be a part of a communi­ ty" Originally Chatham natives, the Gagner family remained in Florida when Gagner was dealt to Vancouver, mid sea­ son, but after his final NHL season wrapped up, they decided upon Oakville. "We have family in the area. My wife has a brother that teaches high school here. While possessing "a great smaller town atmosphere", he said it's also "close to Toronto." "I thought the opportunities for busi­ ness would be better being closer to Toronto. It's the financial centre of Canada, and a lot goes on in the city. So for pursuing other interests I think Oakville's a perfect fit." Just what those other interests may be, he will take the liberty of some down time to find out, after having just com­ pleted 15 years of hard labour in the NHL. "I'm just looking at different options that I have right now and where my inter­ ests lie." For instance, one of his former junior billets from nearly two decades ago in Newmarket is a financial consultant spe­ cializing in small businesses that have good growth potential. "He's a guy that I've been talking to a was. When you're 19 you don't stop and smell the flowers. 'The memories I have of that are just great. We were a group of 19/20-year olds, and we almost took home a medal. It was fun. "Being in Sarajevo, with all the things that have happened since, I have a lot of memories that flash back. You kind of think of what that city's gone through." He got another chance to play for Canada at the 92 world championships "with Eric Lindros and guys like that -- Paul Kariya. It was a lot of fun." "Whenever you put on the Canadian sweater and represent your country it was a more intense feeling than you get play­ ing hockey at any other level because you felt so much responsibility because of our tradition and there's so much pride on the line. "Those kind of experiences weigh heavy on a player. But you know when you're all said and done, I think that a lot of guys just do anything to get a chance to be in those situations." His stint with the Stars ended midway through the 1995/% season when he was traded to Toronto along with the Stars' 6th round draft choice (Dmitriy Yakushin) for Benoit Hogue and Randy Wood. With the Leafs he scored 22 points (7g, 15a) in 28 games. Prior to the 1996-97 season starting, he found himself traded to Calgary for their third round draft choice (Mike Lankshear). "Calgary was a good experience for me, too, though, because we had a very young team, and some of the older guys like myself were given a lot of responsi­ bility, and that always makes you feel good, to be able to help younger guys. "It was a rewarding year. We missed the playoffs on the last game of the regu­ lar season. But we were picked to finish dead last because of how many rookies we had. We had maybe seven or eight rookies in our lineup all year long. It was a fun year playing there." Gagner ended up with 60 points (27g, 33a) in 82 games. A free agent he then signed on for the 1997-98 campaign with the Florida . Panthers, remaining with the team the fol­ lowing season (1998/99) before being traded to Vancouver where he finished up the season and his career. At this point he has no desire to return to the professional ranks in some other capacity. "I don't really have a desire to coach at that level, but I really like working with kids. "I was really analytical when I played, more so than most guys -- almost, maybe, too much at times. "I think it has given me a way of look­ ing at things that would help kids because I didn't just play the game and just let things flow, I analyzed why I did things and I used to think about being creative and I would think about drills that would improve my game. And I try to help my son in the same way. * Chuckling, he added: "I hope he's not as analytical as I was as a player because (See 'Trade' page C3) Season Team/league REGULAR SEASON GP G A P PIM GP PLAYOFFS G A P PIM 1984-85 N ew York R NHL 38 6 6 12 16 - - - - - N ew Haven AHL 38 13 20 33 23 - - - - - 1985-86 New York R NHL 32 4 6 10 19 - - - - - New Haven AHL 16 10 11 21 11 4 1 2 3 2 1986-87 New York R NHL 10 1 4 5 12 - - - - - New Haven AHL 56 22 41 63 50 7 1 5 6 18 1987-88 M innesota NHL 51 8 11 19 55 - - * - - - Kalam azoo AHL 14 16 10 26 26 - T - - - 1988-89 M innesota NHL 75 35 43 78 104 - - - - - Kalam azoo AHL 1 0 1 1 4 - - - - - 1989-90 M innesota NHL 79 40 38 78 54 7 2 3 5 16 1990-91 M innesota NHL 73 40 42 82 114 23 12 15 27 0 1991-92 M innesota NHL 78 31 40 71 107 7 2 4 6 8 1992-93 M innesota NHL 84 33 43 76 143 - - - - 1993-94 Dallas NHL 76 32 29 61 83 9 5 1 6 2 1994-95 Dallas NHL 48 14 28 42 42 5 1 1 2 4 1995-96 Dallas NHL 45 14 13 27 44 - - • - Toronto NHL 28 7 15 22 59 6 0 2 2 6 1996-97 Calgary NHL 82 27 33 60 48 - - - - - 1997-98 Florida NHL 78 20 28 48 55 - 1998-99 Florida NHL 36 4 10 14 39 - - - - Vancouver NHL 33 2 12 14 24 - - - - NHL TOTALS 946 318 401 719 1018 57 22 26 48 36