3 Potential Landing Spots for Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher

Brendan Gallagher was transparent while speaking to reporters during the Montreal Canadiens' exit interviews. The 34-year-old forward made it clear that his time with the Canadiens is coming to an end, while also making it clear that he was very grateful for his time with the team. 

"It's pretty clear I'll be moving on here, but I'm incredibly, incredibly, I'm just very fortunate," Gallagher said. 

When noting that Gallagher's role with the team dropped significantly this season and the Canadiens have other roster needs to address, it is understandable that both sides are moving on. Now, the real question is whether the Canadiens will trade him or buy out the final year of his six-year, $39 million contract. 

Due to this, let's take a look at three potential landing spots for Gallagher heading into the off-season. 

Gallagher made it clear during his exit interview that he is open to the idea of playing for the Vancouver Canucks. With this, they are an obvious potential landing spot for Gallagher. It is also not difficult to understand why he is interested in playing for the Canucks, as he grew up in Tsawwassen, British Columbia. If the Canucks brought him in, he would give them a well-respected veteran to help mentor their younger players as they continue their rebuild. 

The San Jose Sharks could be a team to keep an eye on when it comes to Gallagher this off-season. With the Sharks being an exciting team on the rise, a veteran like Gallagher could grab their attention. He would have the potential to be a nice fit in their bottom six, but would provide most value with his leadership qualities. 

If Gallagher gets bought out by the Canadiens, the Colorado Avalanche could be a team to keep an eye on. Gallagher would have the potential to be a nice energy player for their fourth line. Playing for the Avalanche would also give Gallagher the chance to play on a team that should once again be among the top contenders in 2026-27.