Canadiens Want Gallagher for Success Greater than Ever – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

Proper now, it’s been open season to criticize the Montreal Canadiens, irrespective of how low the bar was set heading into the 2024-25 season. There may be a lot work to do be performed to make the group profitable, however one participant is proving their worth this season, somebody who will get misplaced within the shuffle amidst the reward for Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson. Brendan Gallagher is, to be blunt, balling.

Gallagher the Forgotten Man

Everyone knows Gallagher’s there. We all know he’s been there since 2012-13. The Edmonton native has solely worn a Habs jersey for the reason that franchise drafted him within the fifth spherical in 2010, and he’s at present the longest-serving member of the group.

There are just a few the explanation why he might need been neglected in latest seasons. For one, the group isn’t good. It hasn’t been good for the reason that Stanley Cup Closing run in 2021, which was a Cinderella story. By virtually any metric, the Canadiens mustn’t have made the Closing, and as shortly because the group elevated its sport that postseason, it instantly crashed afterward.

When groups honest as poorly as Montreal has within the final three seasons – 55 factors in 2021-22, 68 factors in 2022-23, and 76 factors in 2023-24 – there typically isn’t a lot to speak about until one or two gamers are or turn out to be dependable stars. Gallagher, for as a lot as we’ll reward him right here, shouldn’t be that.

Furthermore, each 2021-22 and 2022-23 had been tough seasons for him attributable to accidents, which made the contract extension he signed in October 2020 really feel all for naught. When pen was put to paper, the rugged attacker grew to become Montreal’s highest-paid ahead, incomes $6.5 million per marketing campaign. In any case, 31 objectives in 2017-18, 33 objectives in 2018-19, and 22 in an awkwardly interrupted and re-formatted 2019-20 prompt that he was price each penny. Then got here accidents, COVID-19, and total dangerous group outcomes. 

Gallagher Rises from the Ashes

The hard-nosed winger netted solely seven objectives in 2021-22 and eight in 2022-23. Once more, there have been mitigating circumstances, however $6.5 million is some huge cash for these totals. Even the 2023-24 season was removed from nice. He performed 77 video games, probably the most he had in 5 years, however discovered the again of the web solely 14 instances. 

All that’s to say, when final season ended, Gallagher merely wasn’t part of any optimistic Canadiens chatter. The fanbase’s hopes rested on Caufield, Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Hutson. The Patrik Laine commerce arguably despatched Gallagher even additional down the pecking order, which is saying rather a lot, contemplating that Laine hadn’t been as productive as he as soon as was. Then got here that fateful harm versus the Toronto Maple Leafs in a preseason sport. 

Associated: Canadiens Endure Pleasant Fireplace by Enjoying Evans in Prime Six

Right here we’re, a month into the season, with the Canadiens sitting on the backside of the Atlantic Division (as of Nov. 8). Alex Newhook isn’t enjoying nice. Kirby Dach hasn’t discovered the shape many assume he has. Josh Anderson and Christian Dvorak are, effectively, Anderson and Dvorak.

That stated, nobody can tune right into a Montreal contest and say Gallagher isn’t giving his darndest. He’s skating simply as laborious as he at all times has. He has a nostril for the web that too many Canadiens forwards lack. He’s at all times preventing for the puck. To high it off, he’s second on the group in objectives with six, behind solely Caufield’s 10 – Suzuki has 4, as does Newhook, though the latter doubled his tally by way of a brace on Nov. 7 versus the New Jersey Devils.

Gallagher Makes His Linemates Higher

Gallagher can also be making his linemates look higher. As per MoneyPuck, by way of anticipated objectives and 5-on-5 traces, the Gallagher-Jakes Evans-Anderson line leads the membership with 4.7 xGoals for. As a person, he’s second amongst Canadiens forwards with an xG of 4.3. For somebody who performs 4 to 5 minutes much less per sport than Suzuki and Caufield, he’s nonetheless fourth on the group with 3.6 shot makes an attempt per contest.

What does this imply for head coach Martin St. Louis, who wants to search out solutions quickly? It implies that, of all of the forwards that may bounce up and down the lineup to see what works, Gallagher can arguably give no matter line he’s on the most important spark. On this occasion, we’re assuming that gamers like Caufield and Suzuki gained’t all of the sudden be downgraded. In different phrases, any juggling between the fourth and second traces.

One of many main the explanation why so little is anticipated of the present iteration of the Habs is their youth. All of the extra purpose to reap the benefits of Gallagher’s expertise and nonetheless very spry enjoying type. He’s 32, not 52. The person has a stable sport. Going ahead, most of St. Louis’ new-fangled line mixtures to see what works ought to at all times take into account Gallagher. There are numerous causes to be disillusioned in Montreal this season, however he’s not one among them.