BOSTON — Simon Gagne has been a playoff thorn in the Bruins’ side throughout his NHL career, so it was different for him to walk into TD Garden for the start of training camp Thursday and not face the wrath of local fans.
“I was walking in this morning by the entrance, and that was the first time I didn’t hear any (rude stuff from fans), but it was a nice entry at the Garden,” Gagne said. “… I was thinking about it, after (Game 7 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals), (the Bruins) wind up winning the Cup the year after that. Maybe I was part of the learning situation at that time, and make them better the year after that.”
Gagne scored the Game 7-winning goal that sealed the Bruins’ fate in the 2010 postseason after they blew a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers. He met the Bruins again in the playoffs during the 2011 Stanley Cup run, where his Tampa Bay Lightning lost 1-0 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final at the Garden.
The 34-year-old winger, who’s at camp on a tryout basis, is among many players competing for the Bruins’ four open forward spots. Gagne said he’s “really excited being able to come to camp again,” and Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli is looking forward to watching the veteran in camp.
“He obviously has been a very good player on all levels. Clutch player, fast player, smart player,” Chiarelli said. “If he can recover and regain some of that, he hasn’t played in a year. There’s a speed element, and there’s a veteran, plays both wings. He’s one of those candidates (competing for forward spots) I talk about.”
“We’ve been through some line combinations. The last set of combinations I saw he was on (right wing), as was (Ville) Leino.”
Gagne missed many games in a five-season span before not playing at all in 2013-14. He has been plagued with injuries but said he worked hard at the gym this summer to prepare himself for a 14th NHL campaign. Gagne also sought advice from a fellow Quebec native on the Bruins’ roster.
“I spoke with one of the guys here that lives close to my place, Patrice (Bergeron), we live in Quebec,” Gagne said. “We had a good talk, me and him, he’s pretty close with Peter Chiarelli. From that, things went really well with my agent and the team here. By August, I was ready to sign the tryout contract.”
The Bruins are in a no-lose situation with Gagne. If he doesn’t make the team, there’s no financial loss. If he does secure a roster spot, he’ll provide valuable championship experience and depth to a bottom-six forward group that needs additional scoring.
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