The Montreal Canadiens have traded forward Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for future considerations.
The Canadiens will retain 50 per cent of Gallagher’s $6.5 million cap hit in the final season of his deal.
“On behalf of the entire Canadiens organization, we would like to sincerely thank Brendan for everything he has brought to this team over the course of his remarkable 14-season career in Montreal,” said Canadiens GM Kent Hughes.
“Brendan will always hold a special place in the hearts of Canadiens fans. He represented the team with such tremendous determination, passion and inspiring courage. He is the very definition of a warrior, always putting the team’s success ahead of his own individual accolades. He always conducted himself like a true Montreal Canadien, both on the ice and in our community, where he made such a significant impact. We wish him the best of luck in Vancouver.”
“Brendan is a quality individual and a very good hockey player,” said GM Ryan Johnson. “We love the way he competes and leads by example. Bringing in veterans like Brendan will help us set the standard for our younger guys to follow. We are excited to add someone who has ties to the Lower Mainland, wants to be here with the Canucks, and knows firsthand how passionate and knowledgeable our hockey market is in Vancouver. This is an important acquisition for our hockey club.”
Gallagher, 34, was the longest serving Canadien after spending his entire 14-season career in Montreal and was a fan favourite for his grit and heart he displayed on the ice.
The 5-foot-9 winger recorded seven goals and 23 points in 77 games this season. He added a goal in three playoff games before the Canadiens were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final.
He saw a career low in ice time this season at 12:21 and for the first time since January of 2013 as a rookie, he was made a healthy scratch on March 14.
“On behalf of the entire Canadiens organization, we would like to sincerely thank Brendan for everything he has brought to this team over the course of his remarkable 14-season career in Montreal,” Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said. “Brendan will always hold a special place in the hearts of Canadiens fans. He represented the team with such tremendous determination, passion and inspiring courage.
“He is the very definition of a warrior, always putting the team’s success ahead of his own individual accolades. He always conducted himself like a true Montreal Canadien, both on the ice and in our community, where he made such a significant impact. We wish him the best of luck in Vancouver.”
Gallagher is entering the final season of his six-year, $39 million contract that carries a cap hit of $6.5 million.
Drafted 147th overall by the Canadiens in the 2010 draft, Gallagher has 246 goals and 487 points in 911 career games.
Gallagher scored 30 or more goals twice in his career and put up a career-high 54 points during the 2017-18 season.
He helped lead the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 and pushed his team to the Eastern Conference Final twice in 2014 and 2026.
The Edmonton native represented Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship, winning gold.
Habs Deal Roy to Mammoth
The Montreal Canadiens dealt the 22-year-old winger to the Utah Mammoth on Monday in exchange for defenceman Maksymilian Szuber.
A native of Saint-Georges-De-Beauce, Que., Roy appeared in three games for the team this past season. He played in 57 games for the team’s American Hockey League-affiliate, Laval Rocket. Roy registered 23 goals and 22 assists. He was an AHL All-Star in 2025.
Originally taken with a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft out of the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix, Roy has appeared in 38 NHL games across three seasons. He has six goals and five assists.
Internationally, Roy appeared at back-to-back IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in 2022 and 2023 with Canada winning gold on both occasions. Roy notched eight goals and 11 assists in 14 games across the two tournaments.
Roy is set to become a restricted free agent on Wednesday.
Szuber, 23, was a sixth-round selection in 2022. His lone NHL appearance came during the 2023-2024 season. He appeared in 65 games for the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners last season. The Opole, Poland native scored 11 goals and added 16 assists.
Szuber is also set to become an RFA.
