Ice hockey left winger Simon Gagné entered the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 1996 as a member of the Beaupart Harfangs and left in 1999 after two seasons with the Quebec Remparts. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1998, with whom he continues to skate as of 2010, and received the Paul Dumont Trophy as “Personality of the Year” in the QMJHL upon his departure. With the Flyers has won the team’s Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Award as the most improved player (2001) and the Bobby Clarke Trophy as MVP in 2006 and 2007. Internationally he won a silver medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships prior to joining Team Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he scored one goal in six games and took home one of Canada’s first Olympic gold medals in ice hockey in the past half century. He later won another silver medal at the 2005 World Championships, and again scored one goal in six games at the 2006 Winter Olympics, although the team failed to reach the podium. A groin injury prevented him for completing the training camp for the Canadian squad at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Canada