Habs give Brendan Gallagher’s agent permission to help broker trade
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The Montreal Canadiens have granted Brendan Gallagher’s agent Gerry Johannson permission to talk to other teams to help facilitate a trade involving the workhorse winger.
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Reached via text message, Johannson called getting a deal completed a “priority,” but couldn’t offer any timeline.
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Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK’s Donnie and Dhali first reported Wednesday that Johannson had been given the go-ahead by the Canadiens to speak to other clubs in a bid to broker a swap.
The Vancouver Canucks are an obvious possible destination for Gallagher, 34.
The team could use more veteran leadership in this rebuilding phase and Gallagher’s hustle and heart have been key in the 5-foot-9, 185 pounder getting into over 900 NHL regular season games. He’s been an alternate captain with Montreal the past 11 seasons.
As well, Gallagher grew up in Delta, starred with the Vancouver Giants and routinely spends much of his summers in the Lower Mainland. He has family here, including dad Ian, who heads up the Delta Hockey Academy.
A 14-year veteran with the Canadiens, Gallagher was in the lineup for just three of Montreal’s 19 playoff games, and admitted in his year-end media availability earlier this week that it was “pretty clear I’ll be moving on here.”
He has one season remaining on a six-year contract that has a cap hit of $6.5 million.
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Asked directly about coming to the Canucks, Gallagher said “that’s an opportunity.”
“I haven’t had an opportunity with my agent to sit down. I’m sure there’ll be a couple of places,” Gallagher continued. “I’ll sit down with my wife and figure out what’s best for our family and then go forward.
“Certainly, Vancouver would be a great place.”
Gallagher played 77 games in the regular season for Montreal this year, and finished with seven goals and 23 points. He averaged 12 minutes, 21 seconds of ice time.
He was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career for a March 14 games versus the San Jose Sharks.
He got into all 82 regular season games for Montreal in 2024-25, and averaged 13:55 of ice time. He totalled 21 goals and 38 points that campaign.
“The way I feel, I know it’s not done,” Gallagher said of his career. “You never know how many years. I have plenty more to give. I just feel like around here the opportunity is not going to be there. I need to find a new home and do what I do as a player. I can certainly keep playing. There’s tonnes more to give.”
Gallagher is the Giants all-time leader in goals (136) and points (280). He was a fifth-round pick (No. 147 overall) by the Canadiens in 2010 draft. He’s 10th in goals (246) and 11th in games played (911) among that draft class.
Gallagher was born in Edmonton and moved to B.C. when he was 12 with his family after his father signed on to be the Giants’ strength and conditioning coach.
@SteveEwen
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