“It was tough”: Brendan Gallagher opens up about his last few months with the Habs

For the first time since the 2012-13 season, the Canadiens are preparing to start a season without Brendan Gallagher. Earlier this summer, the veteran was traded to the Vancouver Canucks.

He was traded for future considerations, as the Canadiens wanted above all to accommodate him, given his many years of loyal service.

That said, we hadn't heard much from Gallagher himself since he requested a trade at the end of the season. He spent most of the playoffs in the press box, and we were wondering how he'd been handling it all.

And it's a good thing, because Gallagher was a guest on the latest episode of the 100% Canucks podcast. And for the occasion, he opened up about his last few months in Montreal.

And what we gather is that he found it pretty tough, as you can hear in the following excerpt:

Gally explains that he'd already been sensing for several months that management was ready to move on. He first started feeling it during the 2024–25 season, and it was confirmed over the course of this past season.

He was left out of the lineup a few times toward the end of the season, and then played in only three of the Habs' 19 playoff games.

And Gallagher admits that the playoff run was difficult for him. He was happy for his teammates, but he acknowledged that being on the sidelines wasn't easy for him to handle mentally. He wanted to make sure he wasn't a distraction, but he found it trying… especially since he feels he played well when he got his chance against the Lightning.

It's worth noting, however, that Gally, during the podcast, emphasized that he has nothing negative to say about the Habs. He's grateful for his time in the city and understands that it's part of the game, so he doesn't take it too personally.

And above all, listening to him speak, you can tell he still has a lot of love for Montreal fans. We can expect a warm reception for him when the Canucks visit the Bell Centre on March 6.

Overtime

During his interview, Gallagher also spoke about his fondest memories of the city. In particular, he mentioned the playoff runs in 2014 and 2021—two defining moments he still remembers vividly.

And like many other members of that team before him, he spoke of the speeches given by Shea Weber, Carey Price, and Corey Perry in the locker room to rally the troops before the comeback against the Maple Leafs. It clearly left a lasting impression on everyone who was in that locker room.