Prospect Gagne arrested for alleged sexual assault on several victims; loses next contract

This is bad. On Tuesday night, it was reported by the Journal de Montreal that prospect Gabriel Gagné had been arrested and was set to face sexual assault charges. 

The incident allegedly occurred in Trois-Rivières and Montmagny in 2016 when Gagné played for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. This is what the police authorities mentioned in a press release.

The 24-year-old appeared at the Trois-Rivières courthouse on Tuesday and is scheduled to appear at the Montmagny courthouse on Wednesday to face sexual assault charges, including one involving a victim under the age of 16.

The Surete du Quebec also indicated that several victims had been identified in this case.

Gagné was originally selected 36th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2015 after an outstanding second season with the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL. The team was convinced that his size (6’5″, 214 pounds) and skills would be an asset, but he has yet to play in the NHL. A trade to Toronto brought free agency after the Maple Leafs decided not to qualify him in 2019 and then came only minor league contracts. In his second year in the AHL he showed off and scored 20 goals, but he has since moved around the system, playing most recently for the Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Blackhawks’ farm team in the American League in 2020-2021.

Earlier this summer, he signed with Stjernen Hockey in Norway, but  the club announced that it had terminated the Quebecois’ contract following the filing of charges.

In the QMJHL, Gagne played for the Victoriaville Tigres and the Shawinigan Cataractes. He tallied 68 goals and 64 assists for 132 points in 177 games in the Q. And these could be the only stats to his career.