Martin St-Louis thinks he’s done a good job filling in for Gally… even though the team lacks any spark

Marc-Olivier Cook
Martin St-Louis thinks he’s done a good job filling in for Gally… even though the team lacks any spark
Credit: Brendan Gallagher est encore sous contrat pour trois saisons... et il est inéchangeable.

Brendan Gallagher has played just three games since the start of the playoffs.

And given that he was on the ice this morning with the practice squad, it seems likely he won't be in uniform tonight for Game 5 of the series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Martin St-Louis admits it: the decision to sit his veteran out is the hardest he's had to make since the start of his coaching career in the National Hockey League. However…

However, the Habs' head coach maintains that he feels he's been able to replace Gallagher's impact on the lineup with a certain collective effort.

But, how can I tell you this, Martin…? 

For the past few games, no Canadiens forward has been able to do his job on the ice because the team's offense is asleep. No player has been able to bring the fire of a guy like Gally to the lineup… and that's where I disagree with his comment.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way. 

There was a great atmosphere within the group on the plane yesterday, and the guys believe they'll be able to turn the tide in the series.

Reminder: if the Habs lose tonight, it's over…

That said, it'll take a bit of a wake-up call for the Canadiens to achieve their goal and come from behind to beat the Hurricanes. And that's why the idea of bringing in a guy like Gally—who's got heart and fresh legs—might make sense on some levels.

We know he doesn't have the same energy level as before, but one thing is certain: if anyone can rattle the opponent, it's Gallagher. And if anyone can position themselves in front of the net to give Frederik Andersen a hard time, it's Brendan Gallagher.

After all, no other player on the team has taken on that role since the start of the series against the Hurricanes…

We'll see if the rest of the team can collectively fill in for Gally tonight (if the veteran is benched again) against the Hurricanes. But it would be a shame if they couldn't… especially given that this might have been his last game in a Habs uniform.


In a nutshell

– To be continued.

– Hmm…

– Yes.

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