The Montreal Canadiens have to feel confident about their direction.
Despite losing to the Washington Capitals in five games in the first round of the playoffs, the Canadiens are littered with young talent, including recent acquisition defenseman Noah Dobson, and this feels like a powder keg waiting to explode.
However, the Canadiens are reportedly not interested in bringing back all of their 2024-25 core, and alternate captain Brendan Gallagher could be on his way out of Montreal.
According to NHL Insider David Pagnotta, the Canadiens have allegedly made Gallagher available.
This news is a little surprising considering all that Gallagher has given the franchise. An alternate captain since 2015-16, Gallagher has largely been the straw that stirs the drink and the heartbeat of this Canadiens era.
At 33 years old, Gallagher does not bring the same speed or scoring prowess that he once demonstrated. He did record 21 goals and 38 points last year, but that was never the highlight of his game.
Gallagher’s tenacity on the forecheck, ability to win in the dirty areas, and dedication to Montreal were catalysts behind last season’s success.
He is also not as good defensively as he once was, but he is still a viable, middle-six winger necessary to mentor and protect his younger star teammates, such as Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, and Ivan Demidov.
However, Gallagher is aging, and he is owed $6.5 million over each of the next two years. Montreal is also already $3.39 million under the cap and will need that cash for some upcoming paydays, namely Hutson, who is a restricted free agent after this season.
If this is the end of Gallagher’s days with the Canadiens, he should be remembered fondly by the fanbase and can help a contender in need of forward depth.
