This has been a troublesome season for the Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher.
It has additionally been a tough one for Phillip Danault, who the Canadiens acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Friday evening in change for a second-round choose at subsequent yr’s NHL Draft.
Gallagher and Danault had plenty of success collectively after they had been linemates with the Canadiens, together with Tomas Tatar. In the course of the 2018-19 season that trio mixed for 70 targets and 163 factors. Gallagher had 33-19-52 totals and Danault had 12-41-53 totals. It was Gallagher’s second straight 30-goal season after scoring 31 the earlier yr with Danault as his centre.
This season, Gallagher, 33, has 2-9/11 totals in 34 video games and Danault, 32, had 0-5-5 totals in 30 video games with the Kings.
Final week, when rumours started the Kings is perhaps seeking to commerce Danault, Gallagher was requested what it could imply for him to have his outdated linemate return to Montreal.
“I received to see Phil a few instances in the summertime,” Gallagher stated. “Clearly, I liked taking part in with Phil. I had plenty of success with Phil and there’s a great cause for that. He’s a very good participant, he makes your life straightforward. He’s a kind of gamers that thinks the sport at a very elite degree and would assist any staff. Had plenty of good years taking part in with Phil.. … I received a very good relationship with Phil.”
So no one on the Canadiens would have been happier than Gallagher when he discovered late Friday evening Danault was returning to Montreal.
Possibly the commerce can get each gamers again on monitor.
“It’s good to have Phil again,” Gallagher informed reporters on the Bell Centre after the Canadiens’ morning skate Saturday forward of a recreation towards the Pittsburgh Penguins
(7 p.m., SNE, Metropolis, TVA Sports activities).
“A variety of good years with Phil and he is aware of what it means to be a Montreal Canadien. Excited. It will likely be totally different for him. There’s plenty of adjustments round right here since he left. When he will get right here, I’m certain he’ll match proper in.”
There are solely 5 gamers nonetheless with the Canadiens who had been there when Danault helped them advance to the Stanley Cup closing in 2021 — Gallagher, Nick Suzuki, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans and Cole Caufield.
After a contract dispute with former basic supervisor Marc Bergevin, Danault determined to depart Montreal in the summertime of 2021 and signed a six-year, US$33-million contract with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent. He has yet one more season left on that contract with an annual salary-cap hit of US$5.5 million.
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis stated Saturday morning he expects to make use of Danault in a defensive function, however isn’t certain precisely how but. It will undoubtedly make sense to reunite Danault and Gallagher on a line.
“It will be nice,” Gallagher stated. “Me and Phil had plenty of success previously. I do know precisely how he likes to play. He does plenty of issues to assist his linemates. If I get that chance I’d be very excited.”
Danault is predicted to affix the Canadiens in Boston, the place they may play the Bruins on Tuesday
(7 p.m., TSN2, RDS).
“I talked to him a little bit bit final evening,” Gallagher stated Saturday morning. “He’s clearly very excited. It’s been a little bit little bit of a irritating yr for him, however when he went to L.A. he had plenty of success. He did the identical factor he at all times did for us right here. We all know his recreation, so he’ll slot in properly. Wanting ahead to welcoming him.
“I do know he’s wanting ahead to it,” Gallagher added. “He clearly had plenty of questions, like Phil does. However he’s an excellent participant, a really good participant. He’ll choose it up fast. We’re wanting ahead to welcoming him. … I do know he’s been annoyed in not getting the chance that he most likely deserves (in Los Angeles). Good participant, good good friend, good teammate. Wanting ahead to having him.”
Jacob Fowler will begin in objective for the Canadiens on Saturday evening towards the Penguins and defenceman Mike Matheson will return to the lineup after lacking the final two video games with an upper-body harm. Defenceman Jayden Struble shall be a wholesome scratch.
Group rosters and stats forward of tonight’s recreation between the Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins on the Bell Centre (7 p.m., SNE, Metropolis, TVA Sports activities). #Habs stated final evening they are not certain when Phillip Danault, acquired in commerce with L.A. Kings, will be part of the Canadiens: pic.twitter.com/LtXs2nhXON
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) December 20, 2025
When Canadiens basic supervisor Kent Hughes met with the media Saturday morning to debate the Danault commerce, he was additionally requested in regards to the Canadiens’ goaltending state of affairs. Samuel Montembeault will make his second straight begin with the AHL’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning stint Saturday afternoon in Cleveland towards the Monsters and is predicted to rejoin the Canadiens on Sunday in Pittsburgh, the place the Canadiens will play the Penguins within the second of back-to-back weekend video games
(7 p.m., TSN2, RDS).
Anticipate Jakub Dobes to start out in objective for the Canadiens on Sunday.
Hughes stated the answer to the Canadiens’ goaltending state of affairs is inside and Montembeault was despatched to Laval to get a little bit break from the Montreal highlight whereas getting an opportunity to regain his confidence. Montembeault allowed 4 targets on 24 pictures in a 5-2 loss to the Monsters on Thursday evening in Cleveland with the final objective an empty-netter.
Hughes stated he is aware of what sort of goalie Montembeault is after his efficiency the earlier three seasons, when he posted save percentages of .901, .903 and .902, respectively, and he can nonetheless be a great goalie. The query, Hughes added, is whether or not it can take Montembeault per week, two weeks or a month to search out his recreation once more. Hughes stated the Canadiens had been attempting to speed up that course of by sending Montembeault to Laval.
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