I Love Brendan Gallagher… But It Might Be Time for the Canadiens to Cut Bait

Before I even go further, I just want to say as clearly as I can: Brendan Gallagher is one of my all-time favourite Montreal Canadiens.

I’ve watched him throughout his entire career, not just with the Habs, but even going back to junior. He played here in Vancouver for the Vancouver Giants, he was their captain, and when I found out as a little kid that he was part of the Montreal Canadiens organization, he instantly became one of my favourite players to follow, probably more than any fifth-round pick ever should have kept track of.

He was a young player playing in my hometown, about to join my favourite team. Not to mention, he’s also been great to my family without even knowing it.

I own a game-worn, signed Brendan Gallagher 2012 World Junior jersey, and my brother owns a signed Brendan Gallagher hockey stick. We’ve never actually crossed paths with him or fully interacted with him (we’ve just seen him signing autographs), but through hockey connections, he’s made a real impact on my family. Because of that, this isn’t easy for me to say. But it feels like his time with the Canadiens should probably be over.

All things considered, I don’t want this to happen. But I think it might be time.

First and foremost, while I love Gallagher, I’m a Montreal Canadiens fan before anything else. The team is bigger than any one player. As the game continues to get faster and as this team gets younger, it’s either time for the Canadiens to cut bait with Gallagher or severely reduce his role. I’m talking about him potentially being more of a 13th forward who only gets into the lineup when the team is short on bodies.

In a perfect world, I'd love him to be on the team for the remainder of his career. He’s a great veteran presence in the locker room, and this team is going through some ups and downs this season. They need someone who can help answer the tough questions, aside from Nick Suzuki. Gallagher is a great resource for young players, not just in learning the organization but in understanding Montreal itself. He’s been there since 2013, when he jumped into the NHL.

Even after last year, when he scored 20 goals and stayed healthy, you can’t really blame injuries anymore. Injuries were more of an issue a few years ago, but he’s found a way to stay on the ice. He didn't miss any games last year and hasn’t missed a game to start this season. But his production has dropped significantly. In 33 games, he only has 2 goals and 9 assists, by far the worst start of his career.

The problem is that the game just looks too fast for him now. He’s a smaller player, he’s still physical when he can be, but he can’t bury chances anymore. He’s struggling to keep up with the pace, and it’s hard for me to watch, especially given how much he means to me as a fan.

Truthfully, I don’t want to see him go. But I do think it could be time for both him and the organization to move on.

There have been rumours about a potential Brendan Gallagher trade to the Los Angeles Kings for Phillip Danault. The Kings reportedly want a roster player back, and Danault has requested a trade. I wouldn’t be opposed to that at all. The Canadiens really need centres right now.

It might simply be best for both sides to part ways. Gallagher could get a fresh start somewhere else, even though I’m sure that’s not something he wants. Still, it could be best for the remainder of his career, or at least the remainder of his contract.

I’m not opposed to Gallagher coming back in 2027, when his contract is up, on a veteran minimum deal to retire as a Canadien and play fourth-line minutes. But right now, I think he has too much responsibility on his plate. As a Habs fan, I want to see this team progress and move forward.

I’m disappointed with the level of play and the lack of consistency. Due to injuries elsewhere in the lineup, Gallagher is just playing too much. I wouldn’t be opposed to moving his salary cap hit to bring in more talent or finding a deal like the Danault scenario that keeps him on a competitive team and not sending him to a bottom feeder.

If there’s a way for Gallagher to chase a Cup, something he absolutely deserves, while also giving the Canadiens more flexibility, it's probably a path worth exploring.

This would kill me as a Habs fan and as a Brendan Gallagher fan specifically. He’s one of my all-time favourite Canadiens. He’ll be honoured when he retires for wearing the red, white, and blue for all those years.

It also does suck that he never wore the C in Montreal. There was a time when I truly thought he should have been the captain, but it just never worked out that way.

He’ll always be loved in Montreal. He’ll always be a Habs legend in his own sense. And because of that, I say this with no joy at all, but I do think it might be time for both Gallagher and the Montreal Canadiens to move on from one another.