BOSTON -- Simon Gagne broke the hearts of Bruins fans during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.

As a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, Gagne scored the game-winning goal in Philly's 4-3 victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series on May 14 at TD Garden. It was a monumental implosion by the Bruins, who had a 3-0 series lead, and a 3-1 lead in Game 7, before the Flyers finished the historic comeback.

Gagne remembers it well.

Now, the 34-year-old forward is in Boston after the Bruins invited Gagne to training camp on a tryout agreement.

“I hope fans aren’t going to be too bad,” he said with a smile. “After [2010] they ended up winning the Cup the year after that, so maybe I was part of the learning situation at that time to make them better the year after that.”

On Thursday, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said there are four open forward spots available on the roster and Gagne will be given every opportunity to win one. Gagne missed the entire 2013-2014 season due to injury.

“Well, obviously he's been a very good player, on all levels -- clutch player, fast player, smart player, so if he can recover and gain some of that -- he's hasn't played in a year -- then you know, there's the speed element and there's the veteran and he plays both wings, so he's one of those candidates I talk about,” Chiarelli said.

Gagne spent the majority of his career with the Flyers, but won a Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2011-2012. He returned to Philadelphia for the lockout-shortened, 48-game season in 2012-2013. While sidelined all of last season, it was an opportunity for him to spend time with his family, but it also refreshed his desire to keep playing in the NHL.

“Yeah, it was tough. During the season, I’m not going to lie, I really didn’t miss the season because it’s 82 games and it’s a long season,” he said. “But when playoffs started it was pretty hard to watch. That’s the time, if you look at my career, that’s the time I had the most success and most fun to play the game.

“I feel really energized, healthy and excited about coming back, hoping to make the team.”

At the start of the offseason, Gagne wasn’t gaining too much attention from NHL organizations.

“It was pretty quiet on that side. I had a good talk with my agent before summer. I was back in the gym, making sure I was energized, feeling good and stuff like that at first before telling my agent, ‘OK, let’s go and make a couple of calls.’ ”

Gagne spoke with Bruins assistant captain and fellow Quebec native Patrice Bergeron, who then talked with Chiarelli.

“From that, everything went really good with my agent and the team. By August I was ready to sign a tryout contract,” explained Gagne.

A left-winger by trade, Gagne will work on the right side during training camp.