Emotional return to Philly tonight for former Flyer Gagne

SIMON GAGNE says this has already been a long week.

On Saturday, Gagne made his regular-season debut with his new team, in a new city, in a new rink. Last night, Gagne returned to Montreal - approximately 3 hours from his hometown of Ste. Foy, Quebec - for the first time as a member of the Lightning, with family and friends watching at the Bell Centre.

Both of those firsts will pale in comparison to tonight, when Gagne returns to the city he called home for 11 years for the first time since his July 19 trade.

"It's been a tough week for me," Gagne said via phone in Montreal yesterday. "Going back there is going to be weird. It's going to be hard. It's going to be tough to make sure that I go to the left side where we're supposed to be and not the Flyers' locker room.

"I spent 11 years there. Eleven years in one's life is a lot. And it's not just the 11 years. I started my career there. I was a rookie there. When I left home for the first time I went to Philly. It became my second home."

Gagne, who is playing in the final year of his contract, was dealt to Tampa Bay for defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick.

Gagne, 30, posted 524 points in 664 regular-season games. He ranks 10th on the Flyers' all-time list in games played, ninth in goals with 259, 10th in points and sixth with 47 game-winning goals.

He battled through injuries in last year's playoff run to score nine goals in 19 games, including the series-clincher to cap off the Flyers' come-from-behind, 3-0 series and 3-0 Game 7 deficits.

"It will be a little weird, seeing him in a jersey with the Lightning logo," Scott Hartnell said. "He was a great guy and a great teammate. He had a lot of success here in Philadelphia for a long time. It will definitely be weird playing against him."

When Gagne agreed to waive his no-trade clause in the summer, the Flyers were more than $4 million over the salary cap. His $5 million salary and proneness to injury made Gagne an easy target.

"This is the cap world that we live in," Gagne said. "It was either him or me or someone else with a substantial cap hit, especially when you're a year away from being an unrestricted free agent."

Danny Briere said Gagne was not happy about leaving at first. In a summer interview on the Lightning website, Gagne referred to being in Tampa Bay for "just 1 year."

Now, in Tampa, Gagne seems to have found a fit that works. He has a general manager in Steve Yzerman, a former teammate on the Canadian Olympic team, who believes in him. He is paired with other offensive talent, including fellow Quebec natives Marty St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. Teammate Steven Stamkos was the NHL's second-leading goal scorer last season.

"We were rivals growing up, but we're great friends," Lecavalier told the Lightning website. "I'm excited to play with him. He's a great player, a great leader and a great guy."

Gagne netted three goals and three assists for six points in four preseason games.

"I think it's always easier when you're going to a team with familiar faces," Mike Richards said. "He was excited for a new start. I think it's a team that suits him and fits his style of play. They've got a lot of skill and he's a good goal scorer."

When Gagne arrived in Tampa Bay, new teammate Ryan Malone handed off his No. 12 without any questions asked - and free of charge.

Gagne said his biggest adjustment so far has been off the ice. While he has enjoyed the change in weather, Gagne wasn't familiar with how to get around to the practice rink, the St. Pete Times Forum, or even a local doctor's office.

"It's all the stuff outside of hockey," Gagne said. "It's getting to learn the area, getting comfortable in a new house. It's not very different than Philly on the ice, it's just very different off the ice for me and my family."

As for the reaction from fans, Gagne had an inkling he may be the subject of an in-game tribute tonight. The Flyers will honor Gagne's 11 years of service with a video just before the puck drops. "I have a lot of great memories there," Gagne said. "And now that I'm coming back . . . I'm not going to lie . . . it's going to be a tough night for me. It will mean a lot."

Unlike Donovan McNabb, Gagne did not have very many detractors in Philadelphia.

"He played a lot of good hockey for the Flyers," coach Peter Laviolette said. "Simon is a class act. He was well-liked by the fans and the organization. I'm sure they will give him a warm reaction . . . until he scores."

Matt Walker skated in practice yesterday, 1 day after visiting doctors for his hip/groin injury. No further update was available . . . Blair Betts (knee) did not skate yesterday, for the second straight day, but will play tonight.

For more news and analysis, read

Frank Seravalli's blog, Frequent Flyers, at

http://go.philly.com/frequentflyers. Follow him on Twitter at

http://twitter.com/DNFlyers.