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It's funny that Gagne gets burned and is seen as being too loyal or even naive about the business of hockey at this stage of his career but Jagr gets called out for doing the exact opposite. He has his agent draw the line and if the team isn't there when he is they move on...
Gagne deserved better. There is no other way to say it. Homer and I am thinking Hexy had some influence on this, cooled off on keeping him as a third line spot upgrade winger as the off season progressed. All along the public statements were that they hoped to have him in camp and sign him when the LTIR was announced. Then, they go after Cleary....who lets face it is more sandpaper than Gagne and less of a scoring threat. It reads, and I know this is a gross over simplification, as going goon over skill. Since that has been a Flyers failing for 40 years, it is easy to see it that way.
Personally, I think Gagne should have been offered a PTO contract. If he was not up too making the team so be it. Simply saying "we are going in another direction" after stringing him along is classless. And saying that it is business doesn't make it any less classless.
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