Brendan Gallagher has been playing great hockey since returning to hockey and has been able to make an impact in every game he played. Can he still be useful to the Canadian despite his difficult contract?
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Gallagher can still provide his team with valuable services over the past 11 seasons. Coach Martin St-Louis respects his veteran and his track record.
He avoids putting him in awkward situations. He will not ask him to drag the team on his shoulders.
Gallagher now finds himself on a third line. And he will be in the same place when the next training camp starts. He is behind Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson on the team’s right wing.
If there are injuries, with some powerplay time he could be a good troubleshooter on the first two lines. That would be an ideal scenario.
A mentor for young people
“Gally” is no longer the same player who scored 30 goals in two straight seasons, but he remains a reliable veteran. A proud athlete and competitor who has played 669 games with the Habs.
He also fits in very well with the culture his coach wants to establish. He gives his best in every presence and hates defeat.
We would see him in a mentoring role with youngsters like Sean Farrell next season. Although he has slowed down, he can still lead by example.
Gone are the days when he would pay the price in front of the opponent’s net through industrial deforestation. His body no longer allows him that many victims. It’s the sad truth.
With the right role and good health, he can aim for 15 goals. Maybe even 20 with a few empty fillets. It would be unexpected for the Canadian.
Hughes was stuck
On the Kent Hughes side, the options are not numerous. The managing director must assess the contractual situation
Gallagher regularly.
A trade is unlikely unless a team wants to swallow the rest of their contract. It doesn’t run on the streets except in Arizona.
A takeover? Hughes will think twice. This decision would spread more than $16 million on his payroll by the end of the 2030-31 season. It’s enormous.
It wouldn’t make sense even in the midst of rebuilding. Hughes will need all his dollars by the time Kaiden Guhle, Cole Caufield and other top prospects cash in.
The generosity of Bergevin
In 2020, Gallagher signed a generous 6-year, $39 million contract extension. Marc Bergevin had offered his player this generous deal due to his two seasons of 30 goals. He even shed a tear.
He hadn’t accounted for the wear and tear of “Gally”. His little warrior had already suffered some wounds by this time. Things got worse and the 30-year veteran hasn’t played a full season since the 2018-19 season.
Gallagher still has gas in the tank. How many kilometers are left on his odometer? Impossible to say for sure. On the other hand, the road is still long before the end of his contract.