Patrik Laine… Juraj Slafkovsky… David Reinbacher… Cole Caufield… Kirby Dach… Lane Hutson… Logan Mailloux… Arber Xhekaj… Justin Barron… Jayden Struble… Alex Newhook… Joshua Roy… Oliver Kapanen…
It seems that every player has been entitled to his share in Montreal sports news since the start of the Canadiens training camp. Everyone except one: Brendan Gallagher.
However, Gallagher is a veteran of the organization who has never worn the colors of another team in the Bettman circuit. He is also one of the club’s highest paid forwards ($6.5 million for three more full seasons).
Why haven’t we talked about Gallagher for two weeks? Maybe because for now, he’s on track to have a very limited role on the fourth line. Currently, the site DailyFaceoff Gallagher Square to the left of the four (even though he is a natural right winger). If Laine and Harvey-Pinard were healthy, would Brendan be in the press box?
On the other hand, having a guy who earns $6.5 million per season on the four should be talked about more than that. This is far from an ideal situation for the team.
At this time in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Brendan Gallagher and the club were telling us how much he was in the best shape of his life, the Gally…
But this year, we hear none of that.
(Crédit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Gallagher has played two preseason games so far. On September 24, he was cleared from the scoresheet in just over 14 minutes on the ice…
And Tuesday, it was the same thing: no points in 13:02.
However, Gallagher ended the 2023-24 season in good fashion, collecting five goals and three assists in his last five games. 2023-24 was also his best campaign since the pandemic (if we ignore his record more/less).
Gallagher is 32 years old. A few veterans told me over the summer that they had pain everywhere… and even though I haven’t spoken to Gallagher, I’m pretty sure it’s the same for him. The weight of the years and the numerous surgeries he had to undergo clearly leave their mark.
When the rebuild is complete and the club wants to win, it’s clear that guys like Brendan Gallagher will no longer have a place in the lineup.
The Montreal club wishes to be in the mix this year… then start winning consistently next year.
Buying out his contract could indeed be an option in June 2025. Especially since Gallagher’s annual salary will increase from $9 million to $6.5 million, then $4 million thereafter. The cost of a possible buyout will therefore be more affordable next summer.
Brendan Gallagher will perhaps play out the end of his career in 2024-25. Otherwise, the possibility of seeing his contract be bought back – or even of being placed on the LTIR during the last two years of his contract – will be seriously studied during the off-season.
What is Brendan Gallagher for in 2024? Good question…
It’s up to him to answer it starting next week!
For now, I only see a guy who is having trouble keeping up and whose highlight is campit was to have placed himself in front of the opposing goalkeeper while Jake Evans took a shot. A guy who will unfortunately slow down a little more each season… and who no, doesn’t seem to be the type to not give everything on the schedule to explode once the regular campaign begins.
Prolongation
Thanks to two goals from Josef « Class » Martinez yesterday in Atlanta, CF Montreal finds itself in a good position in the standings: if the season ended today, the Montrealers would host Toronto FC in a play-off match, then play – in the case of a victory against the Toronto – a two-of-three against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. What a scenario!
Do you feel the excitement around the club?
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