Brendan Gallagher is finally set to suit up for the Vancouver Canucks in a regular-season game, and Tuesday’s opener against the Edmonton Oilers will mark the start of a very different chapter for the 34-year-old.
Vancouver’s offseason trade for Gallagher was about more than adding another name to the roster. The Canucks wanted his presence in the room, his edge on the ice, and the kind of veteran voice that can help steady a group with plenty of younger players around him. He has already become a familiar and popular figure with fans, even before making his regular-season debut.
For Gallagher, Tuesday night will carry a personal first as well: it will be the first time in his NHL career that he opens a season with a team other than the Montréal Canadiens.
"I'm excited," said Gallagher. "Start of a new season, you're always excited, but it really feels special right now. I think we got some good energy with our group, and we need to carry that into the season."
The opener also brings him back to familiar ground. Gallagher grew up around Edmonton, and he spoke about the memories that still stick with him from those years.
"I was like 12. I got a lot of good memories.
Obviously, growing up on the outdoor pond there, and you still get back there from time to time because I do have family there. So a lot of good memories.
You know, I wouldn't be here without without Edmonton being a part of it. But yeah, we got a job to do.
So, you enjoy it, but you get in there, and you've got work to do."
The Canucks are widely projected to finish near the bottom of the NHL standings, a forecast that fits a rebuild built around young talent. Gallagher said the group inside the room is looking at things differently.
"Our expectations are to compete. We're a competitive group.
We have a lot of really talented players. Guys that have done it for a long time.
We've got some young kids that are going to bring energy, and our expectations are maybe a little bit different than outside the room. But for the time being, our expectations are trying to win one game.
You know, that's all we focus on, and we go from there."
Thursday will bring another milestone, this one at home. Vancouver’s home opener against the Oilers on October 1 will be Gallagher’s first chance to take the ice at Rogers Arena in front of the Canucks crowd, something he said has been on his mind since summer.
"I think it's going to be special. I think it's a lot of time to think about it over the summer, so to play in front of the fans and to represent them hopefully proudly. I'm looking forward to that a lot."
Gallagher is expected to be a major piece for Vancouver this season, bringing a hard-nosed style and a reputation for getting under opponents’ skin. For the Canucks, the appeal is obvious: a hometown player suiting up for a Vancouver-based team for the first time since 2012, and a veteran who can help shape what comes next.
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