Not too long ago, Brendan Gallagher was skating alongside Philip Danault and Tomas Tatar forming the Montreal Canadiens’ top line. With hockey being the business it is though, the three linemates were split up because of money issues and the fact Danault was cast as a mostly defensive center in Montreal and craved a more offensive role. Ironically, it’s probably the contract Marc Bergevin signed with Gallagher that spelled the trio’s end. Since losing his linemates, he has bounced around in the lineup never quite finding the perfect linemates for him. His role on the team has evolved since he took his first strides in the NHL and will continue to do so now that he’s at the twilight of his career.
Early Years and Development
Gallagher busted into the NHL in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. He had played 36 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League (AHL) when he was invited to the Canadiens’ training camp. That year, the fifth-round pick caused a surprise by making the team alongside newly drafted center Alex Galchenyuk. The future looked bright for both rookies but while Galchenyuk was a third-overall pick, it was Gallagher who found his niche with the Habs faster. A dedicated forward, he quickly showed he could get everywhere in a net battle, especially under opponents’ skins. However, he still had much to learn as he was often sent to the penalty box for goaltender interference.
Offensive Explosion, Leadership Role and Extension
Former general manager Marc Bergevin was impressed by the young man’s work ethic and his devotion to the team. So much so that he signed him to a six-year contract extension before the start of the 2014-15 season, with a cap hit of $3.75 million. In time, Gallagher improved and figured out how to avoid crossing the line and not get penalized for goaltender interference or cause goals to be waived off. He played a smarter game, he was still as dedicated and intense as before, only now, he did it within the rules.
Related: Canadiens Missing Gallagher’s Leadership
Gallagher was appointed as an alternate captain and joined the leadership group when Max Pacioretty was voted team captain in the fall of 2015. With a contract extension, a letter on his chest, and full to the brim with confidence, he increased his offensive production and soon enough, in the third year of his contract extension, he hit the 30-goal mark. At that stage, the diminutive winger was an absolute bargain for Bergevin as he was still on a $3.75 million cap hit but producing in a way that would have deserved more.
Unfortunately for the fan favourite, the injury Ninja was lying in wait for his next prey and he hit Gallagher with a couple of serious hand injuries. First, in 2015, he blocked a Johnny Boychuk shot with his hand, which is hardly a recommended technique. He broke two of the fingers on his hand and needed surgery. Then, in 2017, he took some friendly fire from none other than Shea Weber and incurred a second serious hand injury. At this stage alarm bells should have been going on in Bergevin’s head, but they stayed silent. Both injuries eventually healed, and Gallagher kept going, doing everything he had been doing so well, for so long.
Second Extension and Decline
In October 2020, Bergevin signed Gallagher to a second six-year extension with a cap hit of $6.5 million. This meant the Canadiens would be paying their alternate captain $6.5 million until he had reached the venerable age (for a hockey player) of 35. Speaking to the media after the signing, Bergevin got quite emotional praising Gallagher, which made many wonder if the GM signed the new deal because of what Gallagher had given the team over nine years rather than for what he would provide in the next six.
Unsurprisingly, with the loss of his linemates, the passing of time, and the recurrence of injuries, the alternate captain’s production diminished. Still, he remained a respected leader in the locker room because of his work ethic which is second to none. At 32, he can still be the sort of veteran presence the young players on the rebuilding Canadiens need to show them the way, but it would have been better if he could have done that and kept on scoring.
In the last four seasons, calculating how many points he would have contributed had he kept the same production level over 82 games, it’s clear that the decline has started in a big way. From 2020-21 where he would have hit 53 points, his production fell to 35 points in 2021-22, then to 31 points in 2022-23, and finally to 33 points last season. These are not the totals of a $6.5 million player.
Thankfully, Gallagher is still as dedicated as ever to the Tricolore and while the production has gone, the fight and the determination are still right there in the Canadiens’ biggest warrior. As such, he fully deserves the “A” that is still on his jersey, but eventually, the financial reality will catch up to the Canadiens.
The Way Forward…
At his end-of-season press conference, when he was asked if the fans should expect the club to buy out any contracts this offseason, Kent Hughes didn’t even hesitate before saying “No”. Fans who have had enough of Gallagher will have to wait at least one more season before his contract comes off the books.
If Hughes had elected to buy out the veteran forward this offseason, the Canadiens would have been on the hook for six years and he would have counted for $2,167,667 under the cap. If the GM decides to pull the trigger in June 2025, the buyout will last four years and will count for $1.75 million against the cap. Finally, in June 2026, the buyout would take two years and have a $1,333,334 impact on Montreal’s cap space.
While I can get why some are annoyed at Gallagher’s contract because his point production has plummeted that much, as long as he is not stealing ice time from youngsters, where is the harm? In a bottom-six role, while no one in Laval is being groomed to be a third or fourth-line winger in the NHL, I don’t see an issue. They will not make Joshua Roy a top-six player by making him play limited minutes in the NHL just because Gallagher is not skating as fast anymore. Furthermore, it’s not like the Canadiens need the cap room, although once Hughes believes he is a couple of players away from having a contender, he could very well be tempted to check what kind of game wanders in free agency territory and decide to go hunting. Then, he may need some ammunition and the only way to do that is to cast his empty shell casing aside. While Bergevin might have struggled to do that to his veteran, I suspect Hughes is cut off a different cloth. Until then, Gallagher can sleep peacefully, he won’t be bought out of town just yet.
