Brendan Gallagher’s summer has been a whirlwind, and now there’s another big reason it stands out.
After the spring speculation about his future, Gallagher was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations, with the Montreal Canadiens retaining half of his salary. As he prepares to suit up for his hometown team, he and his wife, Emma, have added another daughter to the family.
The couple recently announced the birth of their baby girl, Ella.
The name may carry a deeper family connection, too. It could be seen as a nod to Gallagher’s late mother, Della, who died last March after a battle with brain cancer. Gallagher, 34, will wear No. 7 with the Canucks, the number his mother loved most.
Ella joins big sister Everly, who was born in February 2025. Brendan and Emma were married in July 2024.
The family news drew congratulations from fans in both markets, along with several wives and girlfriends of Canadiens players. On Instagram, Josh Anderson’s wife, Paola, wrote, “Most beautiful little girls inside and out,”
Gallagher will also have family support close to home in Vancouver. His father, Ian, is listed as president of the Delta Hockey Academy, and Brendan has three siblings.
He normally spends his offseasons training in Vancouver, but this summer he stayed in Montreal while waiting for Emma to give birth.
His first chance to wear Canucks colours in public comes at training camp, which opens Sept. 17 in Penticton. The Canucks’ regular season begins shortly after, with their first game set for Sept. 29 against the Edmonton Oilers.
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