Brendan Gallagher's time with the Montreal Canadiens has come to an end.
The veteran forward was dealt to Vancouver on Monday for future considerations. Gallagher has one year remaining on his contract, and the Canadiens retained 50% of his $6.5 million cap hit (containing $4 million in salary) to complete the transaction.
"Brendan is a quality individual and a very good hockey player," Canucks GM Ryan Johnson said in a news release. "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."
Montreal was expected to part ways with Gallagher via trade or contract buyout before next season. He appeared in 77 regular-season games in 2025-26, posting seven goals and 23 points. He suited up in three postseason tilts, scoring one goal through the Canadiens' run to the Eastern Conference finals.
Gallagher, 34, had kept his feelings about becoming a healthy scratch in mid-March -- and being overlooked for most of the playoff stretch -- close to the vest until the Canadiens were bounced by the Hurricanes into the offseason. It wasn't until June 1, during his emotional end-of-season media availability, that he acknowledged, "It's pretty clear I'll be kind of moving on from here."
The Canadiens are the only NHL team he has ever played for since the club drafted him in the fifth round, 147th overall, in 2010. Gallagher played 911 games for Montreal, with 246 goals and 487 points. The western Canada native has been a heart-and-soul type presence for them throughout that tenure, and Montreal wanted to do right by Gallagher by brokering a deal to his desired landing spot -- the Canucks.
Going to Vancouver returns Gallagher to his roots. Born in Alberta but raised in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Gallagher starred in that province as part of the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants prior to transitioning to his NHL career.
There's also a familiar face behind the Canucks' bench in coach Manny Malhotra, a former teammate of Gallagher. The two were in Montreal together during the 2014-15 season, and now Malhotra will be guiding Gallagher through at least one of his final pro campaigns.
The acquisition was Vancouver's second move of the day Monday after trading winger Nils Hoglander to Nashville for a 2029 third-round pick.