Brendan Gallagher is heading into his first game against the Canadiens with the past still very much on his mind.
In comments to TVA Sports, the 34-year-old forward admitted that Montreal’s 2026 playoff run was painful to watch. Gallagher, now with the Vancouver Canucks, has been speaking more openly about his exit from Montreal, and while he still gets asked about how it ended, he said he remains grateful for his 14 years with the Canadiens.
The wound was especially fresh because Gallagher barely played in that postseason. He appeared only in Games 5, 6 and 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, and he said he felt he made the most of those chances. He also explained that once people have made up their minds, it is hard to change how they see you, and he believed during the regular season that the Canadiens were already planning to move on without him.
That made the experience even tougher. Watching longtime teammates keep playing while he was on the sideline was hard enough, but Gallagher also said he did not want his situation to become a distraction in the locker room. He made it clear he was carrying a heavy mental load during that stretch, even if he kept it from becoming a problem for the team.
Even with all of that, Gallagher said he holds no grudge. He wishes his former teammates well and understands that sometimes a player just has to accept a decision and keep moving.
The early months in Vancouver have not exactly softened the blow, either. Gallagher has one assist in 11 games this season and carries a minus-4 rating, while the Canucks are 2-9-1 and giving up 4.6 goals per game.
He will get two chances to face Montreal this season, on February 1 in Vancouver and March 6 in Montreal. His return to the Bell Centre should come with a warm reception from the crowd.
And his own words about that playoff run said plenty about what is still sitting with him.
"It's been very tough. You deal with your emotions... I was in there against Tampa Bay.
I did my job, and I played well. And then... like I've said before, it's difficult to change people's minds once they've made up their minds."
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For the Canadiens, Merkulov stands out as a possible fit because of his strong AHL production and the need for another option down the middle. The timing adds another layer of interest, with Winnipeg also dealing with a defenseman absence ahead of its meeting with Montreal, but the real question for Kent Hughes is whether the waiver process will even give the Canadiens a clean shot at addressing Suzukis absence the way they want. [Read more 🡒]