Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
More and more, the name of forward Brendan Gallagher is worrying Montreal Canadiens fans.
Yes, Brendan Gallagher just scored, but the debate isn’t going away.
In Montreal, everyone loves him for his heart and his story.
But the contract remains a hot topic.
His deal still counts for $6.5M against the cap through the end of the 2026-27 season.
And in a season where every roster spot matters, the Canadiens are forced to look at their options.
Here’s what the buyout price of forward Brendan Gallagher’s contract would be
On paper, you can also see the recent contrast.
In 2024-25, he played 82 games and produced 38 points. He scored 21 goals, which is not a small total.
But his pace slowed afterward, and that fuels the discussion.
The simplest option on paper is a contract buyout.
The timing becomes interesting because his actual salary in 2026-27 is $4M.
At his age, a buyout would cost the team 67% of that amount.
Concretely, that means $2,666,667 to be paid, spread over two seasons.
The cap hit would be $3,833,333 in 2026-27.
That’s a savings of $2,666,667 compared to the planned $6.5M.
The downside comes afterward.
In 2027-28, the Canadiens would carry a $1,333,333 cap charge.
That year, without a buyout, the contract would already be finished, so this would be “added” money.
That’s where Kent Hughes has to weigh the real need.
Is saving $2.67M next season worth a penalty the year after?
“Gallagher is interesting. Another year at 6.5 or whatever it is, buyout is manageable if you buy him out at the end of this season. I love Brendan Gallagher. But it seems as though maybe his style of play is no longer compatible with the identity of the Canadiens, which is predicated on speed, quickness, and skill.
Maybe have a respectful conversation about whether he’s interested in playing out the last year of that contract out in Vancouver, where he’s spent much of his life living and I believe spends much of his time or some of his time still in the off-season.
You know, maybe there’s teams that want to get to the cap floor next year that might be interested in bringing in a guy like Brendan Gallagher on a one-year deal.”
– Eric Macramalla, The Morning Show with Conor McKenna and Shaun Starr
Gally is also a human story, but the NHL doesn’t deal in sentiment when the cap gets tight.
I’m really curious to see what happens next.
And you, what’s your opinion on this possibility?
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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The cost of a Brendan Gallagher contract buyout in Montreal is now known
A Brendan Gallagher buyout: Do the Canadiens pull the trigger this summer?