The World Hockey Report tweeted a recent photo of the new Team Canada jerseys for the Spangler cup but more importantly they announced that former Oilers forward Sam Gagner will captain this team.

Gagner who has had several stints with the Oilers had become a fan favorite it was brought back for third go around last year. Many Oilers fans enjoyed having him back including himself with the organization after he landed a PTO which turned into a contract

Unfortunately, the Oilers decided to move on and not re-sign Gagner this season which has left him an unrestricted free agent. This new captaincy with the Spangler cup could help his prospects as he will be fit and ready to play for any NHL team that would be willing to sign him even at league minimum.

He certainly will have experience behind him as he has played 1043 games in the NHL, scoring 197 goals with 332 assists for 529 points. He also has a clear desire to continue to play hockey as he is 35 years old.

With the NHL season entering 2025 in several teams preparing to shop around to find players at a low cost due to the fact they are tied to the cap, adding a player like Gagner with his experience would certainly boost any team especially if his performance during the Spangler cup is solid.

Teams including the Oilers may look at him yet again as secondary scoring has become a priority for many organizations as NHL playoffs ten to shorten the lanes become for the star players in the secondary players the main cogs of the offense.

The tournament is set to begin on Boxing Day and will run through the 31st of December and will take place in Davo’s Switzerland.