from Sam Carchid if Broad Street Bull,

General manager Ron Hextall said on Saturday he needed more time to go over the cap numbers and he wasn't sure if the club would buy out Gagner, who finished tied for second on Arizona with 41 points last season.

After making the trade, Arizona GM Don Maloney was blunt about Gagner.

"We didn't think he could play center at the National Hockey League level for us," he said.

Gagner was aware of the comment.

"I feell like I have a lot to prove. I have a lot of people to prove wrong and plan on doing that," he said in a conference call with reporters on Sunday morning.

Gagner, selected sixth overall by Edmonton in 2007, said it was an "adjustment period" for him in Phoenix and that he was "emotionally invested" with the Oilers.

He was selected one pick before Columbus took Jake Voracek in the 2007 draft.

Gagner said the uncertainty of his situation was "not the best of times." He said his wife, Rachel, was pregnant with their first child and that he would like some stability in his life.

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