Speculation: What’s the future hold for Brendan Gallagher ?

[waitin425]

Can he retire and forfit his salary, and then we hire him back in a Player Development Role with Lecavalier at the same amount of money? Dirty as hell, I know. But is there rules preventing it?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can he retire and forfit his salary, and then we hire him back in a Player Development Role with Lecavalier at the same amount of money? Dirty as hell, I know. But is there rules preventing it?

Yes, I would imagine the NHLPA and the NHL itself would look at that as cap circumvention.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Given how shitty our forwards are, at this point he's really not holding anyone back, keep him for next year as a 4th liner.

Hopefully during next season we start seeing some guys like Farrell, Heineman and RHP for example step up and earn roster spots and start making decisions more difficult for HuGo. If young guys are showing they are more worthy of a roster spot, it will make the case to buy-out Gallagher next offseason easier.

 

[Egresch]

Given how shitty our forwards are, at this point he's really not holding anyone back, keep him for next year as a 4th liner.

He is holding his linemates back. 10th in icetime and -23 talks a lot. We need to limit his icetime to Pezzetta level 7:47 next season.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

He’s been playing well to end the season, good for him. It’s something like 4 pts in his last 4 games (2g, 2a).

I would like to see him prosper elsewhere than Montreal. I believe he can not be traded; to be serviceable with a 6M cap hit, he needs to be able to get 20g/30a or some other 50+pts combination.

I think I would like to see him bought out and land in Vancouver on the cheap. They will need cheap production and I think Gallagher if healthy can deliver 15g/15a. Habs can do better than that for cheaper. Just need the roster spot.

What do you think?

Edit: Cap penalty for buyout

SEASON	INITIAL BASE SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	SIGNING BONUS	BUYOUT COST	POST-BUYOUT EARNINGS	SAVINGS	CAP HIT ( MTL)
2024-25	$9,000,000	$6,500,000	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	$6,833,333	-$333,333
2025-26	$6,500,000	$6,500,000	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	$4,333,333	$2,166,667
2026-27	$4,000,000	$6,500,000	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	$1,833,333	$4,666,667
2027-28	$0	$0	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	-$2,166,667	$2,166,667
2028-29	$0	$0	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	-$2,166,667	$2,166,667
2029-30	$0	$0	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	-$2,166,667	$2,166,667

 

[Canadiens98]

There's no point in buying him out. We aren't ready to contend anyways so may as well just keep him on the roster. We'll see what the situation looks like at the end of next season but I fully expect him to be here to start the year

 

[Ezpz]

There's no point in buying him out. We aren't ready to contend anyways so may as well just keep him on the roster. We'll see what the situation looks like at the end of next season but I fully expect him to be here to start the year

I don't see any contracts we would even buy out. If Armia hadn't rebounded he'd be the only candidate, now he's likely to get a decent deadline haul. Add in the fact that none of the AHL forwards look ready except Roy and no great forward prospects are coming in. We don't need the roster space. Not even sure Ylonen is back next season.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

If the Habs want to make another splash at the draft, they should be open to buying him out. Gallagher is making the money of a 2nd line RW? Do we really want to keep him in our top9 at 6M a season?

If the Habs have no intention to add at forward, then of course keep him.

 

[montreal]

He’s been playing well to end the season, good for him. It’s something like 4 pts in his last 4 games (2g, 2a).

I would like to see him prosper elsewhere than Montreal. I believe he can not be traded; to be serviceable with a 6M cap hit, he needs to be able to get 20g/30a or some other 50+pts combination.

I think I would like to see him bought out and land in Vancouver on the cheap. They will need cheap production and I think Gallagher if healthy can deliver 15g/15a. Habs can do better than that for cheaper. Just need the roster spot.

What do you think?

Edit: Cap penalty for buyout

SEASON	INITIAL BASE SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	SIGNING BONUS	BUYOUT COST	POST-BUYOUT EARNINGS	SAVINGS	CAP HIT ( MTL)
2024-25	$9,000,000	$6,500,000	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	$6,833,333	-$333,333
2025-26	$6,500,000	$6,500,000	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	$4,333,333	$2,166,667
2026-27	$4,000,000	$6,500,000	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	$1,833,333	$4,666,667
2027-28	$0	$0	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	-$2,166,667	$2,166,667
2028-29	$0	$0	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	-$2,166,667	$2,166,667
2029-30	$0	$0	$0	$2,166,667	$2,166,667	-$2,166,667	$2,166,667

If I'm Hughes I would wait a year as after next season when he makes 9M, he'll be owed 10.5M over the last 2. At a 3.25M cap hit I do think you might be able to move him if he can keep this up for another year. Over the last 3 he's had 26 goals in 165 games so over 82 that's 13 goals. So a 4th liner on a playoff team he might be of some interest but it would be a risk of course that he doesn't get injured with his style of play and he'll be 32 next month.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

If I'm Hughes I would wait a year as after next season when he makes 9M, he'll be owed 10.5M over the last 2. At a 3.25M cap hit I do think you might be able to move him if he can keep this up for another year. Over the last 3 he's had 26 goals in 165 games so over 82 that's 13 goals. So a 4th liner on a playoff team he might be of some interest but it would be a risk of course that he doesn't get injured with his style of play and he'll be 32 next month.

I forgot about retained salary. I guess that’s always an option. I don’t see him staying in Montreal. With Armia picking up his game, you can’t have both of them and compete really well in this league.

 

[Scintillating10]

Be good if Gallagher plays next season like he finished this season. Do an Armia type switch around

 

[montreal]

I forgot about retained salary. I guess that’s always an option. I don’t see him staying in Montreal. With Armia picking up his game, you can’t have both of them and compete really well in this league.

who's competing? The Habs have been among the worst teams in the league the last 2 years so another year of Gallagher/Armia won't matter but Armia shouldn't even be a thought as who cares since he's a UFA after next season.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

who's competing? The Habs have been among the worst teams in the league the last 2 years so another year of Gallagher/Armia won't matter but Armia shouldn't even be a thought as who cares since he's a UFA after next season.

That’s what im saying. I want them to compete next year. Not making the playoffs next year would be really unsatisfying. I think they tanked enough.

 

[montreal]

That’s what im saying. I want them to compete next year. Not making the playoffs next year would be really unsatisfying. I think they tanked enough.

But who cares what any of us want? Hughes just said that this team still needs a lot of work and he's going to be handicapped by the remaining shitty MB contracts but after 1 more year he's going to finally have a lot of cap space and the young D need more time.

 

[CDN24]

If the Habs want to make another splash at the draft, they should be open to buying him out. Gallagher is making the money of a 2nd line RW? Do we really want to keep him in our top9 at 6M a season?

If the Habs have no intention to add at forward, then of course keep him.

There are 3 reasons to buy a guy out

1) you need the cap savings
2) you need the real cash savings
3) you need the roster spot.

1) for 2024-25 Habs have about 9M in space and only Xhekaj and Barron to extend as RFAs and that is without touching Price's LTIR $$
2) this is not the Sens under Eguene - no need to save the cash
3) don't need the roster spot (Pearson frees up a spot and likely Ylonen)

He is overpaid for what he brings today but he is not the worst player on the roster- no need to buy him out this off season- maybe in the future but probably better to try retaining 50% on him 1st. Who knows he may LTIR himself. Premature to buyout this offseason

 

[dcyhabs]

I forgot about retained salary. I guess that’s always an option. I don’t see him staying in Montreal. With Armia picking up his game, you can’t have both of them and compete really well in this league.

I don't know where Armia comes in. Armia doesn't play the same style, doesn't make as much money, and actually does some positive stuff when he's not scoring. Armia is having one of his better seasons, no need to dump on him.

Gallagher isn't terrible but they'll want to do more with the 6.5 million in a couple of years. I don't see any rush, though.

 

[le_sean]

I don’t even think he’s the biggest problem. It’s sad what he’s become but at least he provides effort. Anderson is the bigger albatross. Dvorak could also leave.

 

[Miller Time]

This time next year, a buy out starts to make more sense (but expiring deals alleviate the cap urgency).

My bet is that we'll see buy-out or LTIR in the summer of '26.

Until then, he'll continue to be a ridiculously expensive bottom 6 player... Fingers crossed his game doesn't regress even further

 

[sampollock]

hopefully retire early

 

[Runner77]

This time next year, a buy out starts to make more sense (but expiring deals alleviate the cap urgency).

My bet is that we'll see buy-out or LTIR in the summer of '26.

Until then, he'll continue to be a ridiculously expensive bottom 6 player... Fingers crossed his game doesn't regress even further

Makes sense from a pure cap savings perspective. In the meantime, he is not a toxic asset as he continues to play with intensity game in and game out and has leadership qualities and intangibles that can be a positive for a young team. Of course, he's overpaid for what he brings but it's not as if his spot is absolutely needed right now.

 

[montreal]

hopefully retire early

he's owed 19.5M after this season, I don't think we'll see that unless the injuries start to pile up. He's a good vet to have while the team awaits it's future players, might be a good idea to think of him to join the development team when he does get around to retiring. Might be a good person to have like Byron that can teach how to train and work hard for the NHL.

 

[StCaufield]

I think he’s a 4th liner on most teams and a 3rd liner if there’s an injury or something. Otherwise his contract is one of the worst in the league I f***ing hate it. His body language seemed off last night as if he didn’t want to be there or something. Not sure

 

[malton]

He's a prime candidate for a retention slot to a contender on the last year of his deal. Might actually fetch a better than expected return. I assume the same with Anderson. GM's love the gritty guys going into the playoffs.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Bad contract, definitely, but he's been playing well on a line with Armia & Newhook. Both those guys really open up ice for him, and help him out defensively.

I can live with that as a 3rd line next year.

 

[McGees]

Robidas island sooner than later hopefully.