Whether you remember Simon Gagne for his incredible game 7 winner against Boston, or one of the myriad of other highlights from his Flyers career, we can pretty much all agree that Gagne was a large part of the 2000’s Flyers.
Even now, his connections to the team run deep. Playing in Junior Hockey at just 16-years-old, Gagne played for the current Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault, “He was special,” said Gagne, “Alain was a tough coach. He was hard on players, but he was just coming back from a couple years with the Ottawa Senators in the NHL.” Playing under an NHL coach at just 16, Gagne was able to learn and grow at a much higher level than other players in the league, “Alain brought that culture into the junior team, but like I said, I was not too serious about it,” said Gagne, “Alain, at the end of the season in the meeting we had, brought that up.” That ability to grow and help younger players has shown this year, as players like Joel Farabee and Phil Myers have blossomed under Vigneault.
Just like the rest of us, the world around Gagne has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Gagne, before the pandemic began he was playing hockey “once or twice a week,” and “enjoying the life after hockey.” Now that the pandemic has taken over the lives of everyone, Gagne says both he and the country around him miss hockey, “It’s a tough time for everyone,” said Gagne, “I’m sure if they come back, even if it’s this summer, I know people here in Quebec and in Canada will watch the games, that’s for sure.” Americans and Canadians alike are waiting anxiously for hockey to return. We miss the big plays in clutch moments, and nobody knows more about those plays than Gagne.
Ten years ago the Flyers came back to beat the Boston Bruins after being down 3-0 in both the series and game seven. The man to score the game winning goal for the Flyers was none other than Gagne himself, “We all felt confidence and everything built on that. When we scored the second goal, we had the feeling we could come back and win that game,” Gagne said. With 7:08 left in the third period, Gagne picked his corner against the Bruins to send the Flyers on in the playoffs. Gagne is an important part of Flyers history, and it’s good to hear that he is doing well in life after hockey.
