Brendan Gallagher’s latest stop has a very different feel to it.
After leaving the Montreal Canadiens, the former No. 11 is now in training camp with the Vancouver Canucks, and the message from his new team couldn’t be much clearer: this is a rebuild. Vancouver has said it openly and officially, with the club leaning on a wave of young prospects invited to 2026 camp.
For a player like Gallagher, that’s a tough fit. He spent years in Montreal in the kind of games that mattered, and now he’s walking into a situation that looks nothing like that. The Canucks finished last in the overall standings last season, and that alone changes the temperature around everything.
Gallagher was also skated alongside Drew O’Connor and Max Sasson, a pair of wingers not exactly known for lighting it up offensively. That only adds to the sense that his new reality in Vancouver may be a grind.
There is one familiar face in the mix, though. Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra also wore the Canadiens uniform in 2014-2015, when Gallagher was still breaking into the National League. That connection gives the story a little Montreal flavor, but it may not be enough to change the bigger picture.
Gallagher is carrying a contract worth $6.5 million per season, which naturally brings expectations that go beyond being a veteran guide for younger players. The real question is whether Vancouver will actually give him the heavier role he wants.
We’ll find out Saturday in Seattle.
For now, it sure looks like this could be a long season in Vancouver. But Gallagher has never been one to back away from a challenge.
In Other News...
David Reinbacher Has A Real Chance To Force Montreals Hand
Training camp has put David Reinbacher right back into the mix, and for the Canadiens it is a meaningful one. The former fifth overall pick has spent his time getting stronger, healthier and more confident after dealing with injuries, and he has shown up with the kind of added weight that suggests he is ready to handle a heavier NHL workload. Montreals blue line already has plenty of offense, so Reinbachers appeal is different - he is trying to carve out a role as the sort of reliable defenseman coaches can trust in tougher minutes.
The opening is there for him to make a real push, especially with some teammates unavailable early and the team sorting out its defensive depth chart. Coaches have noticed the work he put in over the summer, and camp now gives him a chance to prove that his game fits what Montreal needs right away. For a player who has already had to fight through setbacks, this is exactly the sort of stretch that can change a seasons direction. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans May Finally Get Clarity On Kirill Marchenko Buzz
Kirill Marchenkos name has lingered in the rumor mill long enough that Canadiens fans have been waiting for something more concrete than the usual trade chatter. The Columbus Blue Jackets have now confirmed that Marchenko is scheduled to speak to reporters on Friday, adding a little more structure to a situation that has already picked up steam thanks to his agents public comments and the Blue Jackets own willingness to discuss player movement.
For Montreal, the timing matters because the Canadiens have been mentioned as a possible fit if Columbus decides to listen on players. Marchenkos Friday availability should at least bring some clarity to where things stand, but the bigger question remains whether the recent buzz is the start of real traction or just another stop in a conversation that has been building around his future. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Goalie Decision Kent Hughes Can't Drag Out
The Canadiens are still sorting through one of the quieter but trickier decisions at training camp, with three goaltenders in the mix for one backup job behind Jakub Dobes. It is the kind of roster wrinkle that can linger through camp, but this one comes with real urgency for Kent Hughes because the club is trying to set its crease before the season opens.
Samuel Montembeault adds another layer to the equation, since the veteran would have to clear waivers to be sent to the AHL. Montreal does not want to lose him for nothing, so the front office is expected to explore a move rather than wait too long, especially with the opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs set for September 29. The Canadiens have time on the calendar, but not much room to let this one drag. [Read more 🡒]