Luke Gazdic

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Luke Gazdic

| image = Luke Gazdic - Edmonton Oilers.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Gazdic in February 2014

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|7|25}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lb = 233

| position = Left wing

| shoots = Left

| played_for = Edmonton Oilers
New Jersey Devils

| draft = 172nd overall

| draft_year = 2007

| draft_team = Dallas Stars

| career_start = 2009

| career_end = 2020

}}

Luke Gazdic (born July 25, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Gazdic was selected 172nd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. He played for the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils during his National Hockey League (NHL) career. Gazdic mainly played as an enforcer.{{Cite web |last=Staples |first=David |date=2015-03-16 |title=Luke Gazdic playing best hockey of his career, but is it enough for him to stick? |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/luke-gazdic-playing-best-hockey-of-his-career-but-is-it-enough |access-date=2024-05-30 |work=Edmonton Journal}} Since 2023, he has served as an analyst for NHL on Sportsnet.{{Cite web |last=Augurusa |first=Felicia |date=2024-04-19 |title=Sportsnet Announces 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Coverage Details, Beginning April 20 |url=https://www.rogerssportsandmedia.com/whats-happening/sportsnet-announces-2024-stanley-cup-playoffs-first-round-coverage-details-beginning-april-20/ |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Rogers Sports & Media |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=What it was like living with a rookie Connor McDavid |url=https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/what-it-was-like-living-with-a-rookie-connor-mcdavid |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Daily Faceoff |language=en}}

Playing career

File:20140927-LukeGazdic.jpg

On September 29, 2013, Gazdic was claimed on waivers by the Edmonton Oilers from the Dallas Stars.{{cite web|url=http://oilers.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=20832|publisher=Edmonton Oilers|date=2013-09-29|accessdate=2013-09-29|title=Oilers claim Gazdic}}

Playing on opening night of the 2013–14 NHL season, Gazdic made his NHL debut on October 1, 2013,{{cite web|last=Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club|title=Schedule|url=http://oilers.nhl.com/club/schedule.htm|publisher=NHL|accessdate=30 September 2013}} and scored his first NHL goal at 2:21 of the first period past Winnipeg Jets' goalie Ondrej Pavelec, to record the first goal of the 2013–14 Edmonton Oilers season.{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2013020003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215148/http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2013020003|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 4, 2013|title=Jets spoil Eakins' debut with win over Oilers|publisher=National Hockey League|date=2013-10-02|accessdate=2013-10-02}} He made eight points in his time with the Oilers, playing as an enforcer.

On July 5, 2016, having left the Oilers as a free agent, Gazdic agreed to a one-year, two-way deal with the New Jersey Devils.{{cite web|url=http://devils.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=888687|title=Gazdic inks one-year contract with Devils|publisher=NHL|date=2016-07-05|accessdate=2016-07-05}} He appeared in 11 games throughout the 2016–17 season with the Devils.

On July 2, 2017, Gazdic returned to Canada as a free agent in signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Calgary Flames.{{cite web| url = http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/flames-sign-forward-luke-gazdic-one-year-deal/ | title = Flames sign forward Luke Gazdic to one-year deal | publisher = Sportsnet.ca | date = 2017-07-02 | accessdate = 2017-07-02}} Gazdic was reassigned to the AHL with affiliate, the Stockton Heat for the duration of the 2017–18 season. In 61 regular season games, he contributed with 1 goal and 2 points while posting 59 penalty minutes.

As a free agent from the Flames, and with no NHL contract over the summer, Gazdic joined the San Diego Gulls training camp on a try-out and later made the AHL opening night roster for the 2018–19 season.{{Cite web| url = http://www.sandiegogulls.com/camp_092418/ | title = Gulls announces training camp roster | publisher = San Diego Gulls | date = 2018-10-02 | accessdate = 2018-10-02}} He made 20 appearances with the Gulls posting 3 goals and 7 points. In the following off-season, Gazdic opted to continue his tenure with the Gulls agreeing to a one-year contract on August 14, 2019.{{cite web| url = https://www.sandiegogulls.com/news/detail/gulls-sign-six-players-to-one-year-contracts | title = Gulls sign six players to one-year contracts | publisher = San Diego Gulls | date = August 14, 2019 | accessdate = August 14, 2019}} In June 2021, Gazdic announced his retirement.{{cite web |title=Luke Gazdic: Hangs up skates |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/luke-gazdic-hangs-up-skates/ |website=CBSSports.com |access-date=June 5, 2021 |date=June 4, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Luke Gazdic looks back fondly on days with Edmonton Oilers |url=https://theworldnews.net/ca-news/luke-gazdic-looks-back-fondly-on-days-with-edmonton-oilers |website=theworldnews.net |access-date=June 5, 2021 |date=June 4, 2021}}