Jean-Gabriel Pageau (/pæˈʒ/; born November 11, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 96th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with whom he spent the first part of his NHL career prior to his trade to the Islanders in 2020.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Pageau with the Ottawa Senators in 2017
Born (1992-11-11) November 11, 1992 (age 31)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 96th overall, 2011
Ottawa Senators
Playing career 2012–present

Playing career edit

Junior edit

Pageau was born in Ottawa and raised in neighbouring Hull, Quebec.[citation needed] As a youth, he played in the 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Gatineau.[1] He later played with the Gatineau Olympiques and Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).[citation needed]

Professional edit

Ottawa Senators edit

Selected by his hometown Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Pageau began his professional career in 2012–13 with Ottawa's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, registering 7 goals and 29 points in 69 games before being called-up to Ottawa on April 10, 2013.[2] Pageau stayed in Ottawa for the remainder of the season, registering two goals and four points in nine regular season games. On May 5, 2013, he scored a hat-trick in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series as the Senators defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6–1. In so doing, he became just the second Senators player to score a hat-trick in the playoffs after Daniel Alfredsson.[3]

 
Pageau with the Senators during a game in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs

Following the season, Pageau was honoured by his hometown; on June 18, 2013, he signed the official guestbook at the start of the Gatineau City Council meeting and received a plaque. Mayor of Gatineau Marc Bureau called him "a true ambassador for the city".[4]

Pageau would only appear in parts of the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons under head coach Paul MacLean. Upon MacLean being fired, new head coach Dave Cameron would allow Pageau to play more games during the 2014–15 season, including all six of the Senators' 2015 playoff games. In June 2015, it was announced Pageau signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Senators worth an annual average of $900,000.[5] Pageau would play in all 82 games during the 2015–16 season and achieve career highs in goals (19), assists (24) and points (43), and led the NHL in short-handed goals with seven.[6] Pageau scored four goals in Game 2 of round two of the 2017 playoffs against the New York Rangers, including the game-winner in double overtime.[7]

On July 17, 2017, Pageau signed a new three-year, $9.3 million contract worth $3.1 million annually, avoiding arbitration.[8]

In the final year of his contract with the Senators in the 2019–20 season, Pageau emerged as the club's top line center, scoring at a career high pace with 24 goals and 40 points in 60 games.

New York Islanders edit

With the Senators out of playoff contention and as a potential free agent, Pageau ended his eight-year tenure with Ottawa when he was traded to the New York Islanders at the NHL trade deadline in exchange for a conditional first-round pick and a second-round pick in 2020 and a conditional third-round selection in 2021.[9] He was immediately signed to a six-year, $30 million contract extension to remain with the Islanders through 2026.[10] In his debut with the Islanders on February 25, he received a 10-minute game misconduct, scored his NHL career-high 25th goal of the season, and skated 12:07 on the third line with Josh Bailey and Michael Dal Colle.[11][12] Prior to the NHL's pause in play due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Islanders had failed to qualify for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs as they lost seven straight games leading up to March 12.[13] However, they were made eligible for the newly created Stanley Cup Qualifiers when the NHL resumed play.[14] Over the lengthy pause, Pageau returned to Ottawa to spend quarantine until the NHL resumed play.[15]

 
Pageau checking Seattle Kraken player Jamie Oleksiak in 2023.

Pageau and the Islanders met with the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Qualifying Round. Pageau played an important role for the Islanders during their series against the Panthers. He scored the first goal of Game 1 against the Panthers and won 80 percent of his faceoffs while skating in all situations including the power play and penalty kill.[16] Throughout the first three games against the Panthers, Pageau played on a line with Tom Kuhnhackl and Derick Brassard before Kuhnhackl was replaced by Leo Komarov.[17] As the Islanders eliminated the Panthers, Pageau ended the series tied for the team lead in goals with Anthony Beauvillier.[18] He also finished the series logging the most time shorthanded time of ice among Islanders forwards with a total of 8:19 and played 7:38 on the power play.[17] Following their series win, the Islanders faced off against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round.[19] As Pageau remained on a line with Brassard and Komarov through the Capitals series, they helped push the Capitals to the brink of elimination by winning the first three games of the series.[20] Despite an attempted comeback, the Islanders eliminated the Capitals in five games to advance to the Second Round.[21] The Islanders then faced the Philadelphia Flyers whom they eliminated in seven games to advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1993.[22] During their Eastern Conference Final series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pageau was moved onto a line with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck in Game 3 and 4 after Komarov and Casey Cizikas were injured.[23]

On March 25, 2021, Pageau recorded his 100th career goal in a 4–3 win over the Boston Bruins.[24] On August 7, Pageau was voted the winner of the Bob Nystrom Award for the 2020–21 season.[25]

International play edit

On April 12, 2018, Pageau was one of the 18 players to be named to the 2018 IIHF World Championship to represent Canada, where he scored one goal and tallied three assists.[26][27]

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 62 16 15 31 20 4 1 0 1 0
2010–11 Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 67 32 47 79 22 24 13 16 29 20
2011–12 Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 23 23 16 39 12
2011–12 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 23 9 17 26 13 16 4 10 14 6
2012–13 Binghamton Senators AHL 69 7 22 29 33
2012–13 Ottawa Senators NHL 9 2 2 4 0 10 4 2 6 8
2013–14 Binghamton Senators AHL 46 20 24 44 23 4 1 0 1 2
2013–14 Ottawa Senators NHL 28 2 0 2 12
2014–15 Binghamton Senators AHL 27 11 10 21 27
2014–15 Ottawa Senators NHL 50 10 9 19 9 6 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Ottawa Senators NHL 82 19 24 43 26
2016–17 Ottawa Senators NHL 82 12 21 33 24 19 8 2 10 16
2017–18 Ottawa Senators NHL 78 14 15 29 34
2018–19 Ottawa Senators NHL 39 4 8 12 14
2019–20 Ottawa Senators NHL 60 24 16 40 32
2019–20 New York Islanders NHL 7 2 0 2 17 21 8 3 11 21
2020–21 New York Islanders NHL 54 14 14 28 10 19 3 10 13 6
2021–22 New York Islanders NHL 77 18 21 39 30
2022–23 New York Islanders NHL 70 13 27 40 14 6 0 1 1 0
NHL totals 636 134 157 291 224 82 23 18 41 51

International edit

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2018 Canada WC 4th 10 1 4 5 12
Senior totals 10 1 4 5 12

References edit

  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "Sens recall Ottawa native Pageau" (Press release). Ottawa Senators. April 10, 2013.
  3. ^ "Senators defeat Canadiens in game 3 to take 2–1 serie lead". The Sports Network. May 5, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  4. ^ Hempstead, Doug (June 19, 2013). "Gatineau honours Senators rookie Jean-Gabriel Pageau". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  5. ^ "Senators lock up both Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Dave Cameron (for the short term)". Ottawa Citizen. June 18, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  6. ^ "Statistics". NHL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  7. ^ Siegel, Jonas (April 29, 2017). "Pageau scores 4, including double-OT winner as Sens take 2–0 series lead". CBC Sports. Canadian Press. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "Senators re-sign Jean-Gabriel Pageau to 3-year deal". cbc.ca. July 17, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  9. ^ "Islanders Acquire Pageau From Senators". National Hockey League. February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  10. ^ Kaplan, Emily (February 24, 2020). "Islanders acquire Jean-Gabriel Pageau from Senators, sign him to 6-year deal". ESPN. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  11. ^ Kandrach, Sasha (February 25, 2020). "Pageau Makes Impact in Isles Debut". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Reese, Rob (February 27, 2020). "Pageau, Islanders among best fits acquired at NHL Trade Deadline". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  13. ^ Compton, Brian (April 1, 2020). "New York Islanders season snapshot". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  14. ^ Compton, Brian (June 20, 2020). "5 questions for Islanders in Stanley Cup Qualifiers". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Kandrach, Sasha (June 6, 2020). "Greene and Pageau's Path to Long Island". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Wright, Cory (August 2, 2020). "Pageau Elevates Play in Playoff Win". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Kandrach, Sasha (August 11, 2020). "Isles-Caps Preview: Forwards". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  18. ^ Kandrach, Sasha (August 8, 2020). "Five Takeaways From the Islanders Series Over the Panthers". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  19. ^ Compton, Brian (August 12, 2020). "3 Keys: Islanders vs. Capitals, Game 1 of Eastern First Round". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  20. ^ Kandrach, Sasha (August 17, 2020). "Skill, Speed and Sandpaper". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  21. ^ Kandrach, Sasha (August 20, 2020). "Game 5 Notebook: Islanders Advance to Second Round with 4-0 Win over Caps". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  22. ^ Compton, Brian (September 6, 2020). "Islanders playoff run thrills 1993 players who reached conference final". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  23. ^ Compton, Brian (September 13, 2020). "Cizikas, Kuhnhackl out for Islanders for rest of playoffs". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  24. ^ "Beauvillier's OT goal gives Isles a win over Bruins". Newsday. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  25. ^ "Pageau Wins 2020-21 Bob Nystrom Award". newyorkislanders.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  26. ^ "Team Canada names 18 to WHC roster". tsn.ca. April 12, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  27. ^ "Player Statistics - 2018 IIHF World Championship - Hockey Canada". hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved May 20, 2018.

External links edit