Gagner getting comfortable on the left side
Sam Gagner played all three forward positions last year with the Arizona Coyotes. The position he played least, however, was the left wing.
When the Flyers debuted in camp Friday, Gagner was on the left side with Vincent Lecavalier at center and R.J. Umberger on the right wing. The line played together in last night's 5-3 split-squad win over the New York Islanders and played pretty well together.
Coach Dave Hakstol said before last night's game in Allentown that line combinations this early in camp are mostly about establishing consistency. He hinted that things could change for tonight's preseason game against the New York Rangers, and he wasn't lying.
Gagner, acquired over the summer in a trade with Arizona, is back in the lineup playing left wing for tonight's game at Wells Fargo Center. This time, though, he'll have new linemates. During Tuesday's morning skate, Gagner was skating with Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds. Umberger skated with center Scott Laughton and Brayden Schenn, who is getting used to playing right wing.
Lecavalier has the night off.
The goal for Gagner, who takes the place of Matt Read on that line, is to get more time on the left side.
"I'm sure that's what the thought process is," Gagner said. "I moved around a lot last year so it's kind of tough to get hammered down to one role. It's nice to get a couple games there and get the feel on that side of the ice.
"I felt more and more comfortable as the game went on (last night), just some of my timing, some of the stuff along the wall. It might take a little time but I felt pretty good there as the game went on. It was more just getting your legs under you. I think everyone feels the same that first game. It's just a matter of pushing through that."
Hakstol, who got a chance to see Gagner last night, was asked if the reasoning behind putting Gagner with the new linemates was to see some consistency in his new position.
Slap shots
Defensive pairings for tonight's game against the Rangers appear to be: Mark Streit-Nick Schultz, Ivan Provorov-Evgeny Medvedev, Travis Sanheim-Shayne Gostisbehere... Travis Konecny, who scored a goal in his preseason debut last night, is back in the lineup tonight... The top line of Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek and Michael Raffl will get the night off... Goalie Steve Mason, who was off last night, is expected to play all 60 minutes... The Flyers and Rangers will play the newly-formatted, three-on-three, five-minute overtime session tonight, no matter what the score is... The Flyers will make their first round of cuts tomorrow, Dave Hakstol said after morning skate.