The Vancouver Canucks hit two different buttons on Monday, sending Nils Hoglander to the Nashville Predators and then landing veteran winger Brendan Gallagher from the Montreal Canadiens.
The Hoglander deal sent the 25-year-old to Nashville for a 2029 third-round pick that originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche. It was the first move by new Vancouver general manager Ryan Johnson, who said the club is trying to pile up assets during its rebuild.
Nashville GM Chris MacFarland called Hoglander “a 25-year-old experienced winger who is known for his relentless, high-energy style of play, bringing a consistent motor to the lineup night after night. We believe the player can come in and have a key role.”
Hoglander’s numbers had cooled off after a career year. He scored 24 goals in 2023-24, then had eight goals in 72 games in 2024-25 and only two goals in 38 games last season. He still has two years left on his contract at a $3 million cap hit.
The Gallagher move had been circulating for a while, and Montreal made it happen with future considerations coming back the other way. The Canadiens also kept 50 percent of Gallagher’s salary.
The veteran winger, 34, finished the 2025-26 season with seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 77 games, and his role had been reduced under coach Martin St. Louis.
Gallagher has one year left on a deal that carries a $6.5 million cap hit, which drops to about $3.25 million for Vancouver after Montreal’s retention. The move also brings him back to his hometown, and the fit carries plenty of personal weight: Gallagher grew up in Vancouver and was recently honored as an honorary citizen of Montreal after 14 seasons with the Canadiens. Over that stretch, he put up 246 goals and 487 points in 911 regular-season games.
Gallagher had already made it clear how he felt about a return to Vancouver, calling it “a great place” and saying he was “confident as ever” and “not done yet.”
For a Canucks team still in the early part of its rebuild, Gallagher adds a veteran voice and some credibility in the room.
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For a Predators front office that has already added Ross Colton, Jack Drury and Adam Edstrom, the deal fits the broader pattern of stacking depth while keeping plenty of flexibility. Nashville still has nearly $17 million in cap space heading toward free agency, so the move raises the question of whether this is another incremental piece or just the latest step in a much bigger offensive shuffle. [Read more 🡒]