Oilers Should Target Brendan Gallagher if Canadiens Buy Him Out

The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated from the postseason following a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, and while their contention window has just opened and they have a promising young core of players who should be able to help the team make another deep run next season, there are a few changes they are expected to make.

Brendan Gallagher, who has been a member of the Canadiens for the entirety of his career, states that he will be moving on from the Habs. In a media scrum, he was in tears, and stated, “It’s pretty clear I’ll be moving on here. But I’m incredibly, incredibly… I’m just very fortunate.”

Gallagher continued: “The fans, right from Day 1, it’s been truly a privilege to play in front of them. It’s an opportunity not a lot of players get in this league. I’ve got to do it for 14 years now. It’s not lost on me how special it was to call the Bell Centre home.”

Gallagher, who is 34 years old, is entering the final season of a six-year contract that has a $6.5 million cap hit. He has a no-movement clause (NMC), and a 6-team no-trade list, which means he can’t be assigned to the American Hockey League (AHL), and can block six teams from acquiring him.

The Canadiens might have some trouble moving Gallagher’s entire contract, which makes it a possibility that the Habs would consider buying him out. In doing so, the Habs would save $2.67 million next season, and would be on the hook for $1.33 million in the 2027-28 season.

While Gallagher stated that he would welcome an opportunity to play for the Vancouver Canucks, there is a fit with the Edmonton Oilers, who will be looking to bolster their forward core a bit this offseason, and could benefit from some added leadership.

Not at $6.5 million, though. Considering the Oilers are already strapped for cap space, they would only be considered a suitor for Gallagher in the event the Canadiens buy him out. Gallagher was born in Edmonton, and considering they are a contender, he could be willing to join them on a team friendly contract.

Oilers Need Experienced Depth for the Right Price

The Oilers have a list of needs this offseason, including adding a goaltender and creating cap space by trading Darnell Nurse, but they do need to bring in forward depth. Their main goal with their forward group is to bring in a top-six forward, but adding a veteran like Gallagher seems like a perfect fit.

Gallagher would create some internal competition in the bottom-six forward group, and with Trent Frederic coming off of a disastrous 2025-26 campaign, it wouldn’t hurt to put a little pressure on him, and some of the young forwards battling for a spot, on a nightly basis.

He had a bit of a down season all-around, notching only 23 points through 77 games, but his analytics still look alright.

Gallagher wouldn’t be a player that is expected to produce a lot offensively, but in a minimal role where he can be creative offensively and play his physical style, he can be effective.

On a short-term deal at around $1 million, Gallagher might be able to make up for the veteran leadership and experience lost when the Oilers lost Corey Perry to free agency, but time will tell if they have any interest in bringing him in.

If the Canadiens buy him out, the Oilers should be all over Gallagher. If they keep him and decide they would rather try and trade him, he is out of their price range, and they should look for forward depth elsewhere.

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