If Sam Gagner can back up his words, the Columbus Blue Jackets could get tremendous value out of their one-year investment.
The 26-year-old, who signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the club Monday, is motivated not only to have a bounce back season personally, but also to help the Blue Jackets rebound from a disappointing 2015-16.
"From a personal standpoint, I’m as hungry as I’ve ever been," Gagner told Rob Mixer of BlueJackets.com. "I’m motivated to have success, and coming to Columbus where everyone feels like last year was an underachieving year, I think it’s going to bode well. We’re a determined group and we’re looking forward to proving a lot of people wrong. It’s an exciting challenge for all of us."
Gagner cited an opportunity to get prime offensive minutes an a major factor in his decision to sign with Columbus, and he seems convinced the Blue Jackets can be a playoff contender after a 27th-place finish this past season.
"The biggest thing is that I think it’s a really good fit for me, and I think Columbus is a lot better team than the record showed last year," he said. "There are a lot of really good, up-and-coming players along with a lot of established players, and I was convinced there’s an opportunity for me to play. Not only that, but there’s an opportunity to win - they have a lot of good pieces."
Gagner's 16 points in 53 games with the Philadelphia Flyers marked the lowest single-season output of his career, but through eight seasons, he's averaging 47 points for every 82 games played.
That kind of production would indeed go a long way towards helping build some buzz for the Blue Jackets.
