'Gallagher will be 35 at the end of his contract, I don’t see the Habs keeping him.'

Indeed, when you think about it, when Gallagher’s six-year contract (annual value $6.5M) ends, the Canadiens will be that much more competitive.

In two years’ time, Michael Hage and even Alexander Zharovsky will have joined the Habs, so there won’t be room for Gallagher even then. Add to that the fact that Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck and company are still pushing hard for a spot, and if it weren’t for Gallagher and Anderson’s hefty contracts, would probably have made the team by this year.

And as sad as it is, it’s true that at 35, the Habs wouldn’t really have a reason to re-sign Gallagher, other than to ensure that he remains a member of the Habs for life. Maybe Gally will retire in two years’ time, but for now, there’s no indication of that

And what makes Gallagher’s presence with the Habs in 2027-2028 even more dubious is a Habs prospect whose style is very similar to Gally’s.

Indeed, Vinzenz Rohrer, who just had an excellent practice camp in Montreal before being sent back to Switzerland, is a young, energetic player who is often compared to Gallagher in various analyses of him, so if he continues to develop well, Rohrer, who is only 21, could really fill Gallagher’s role in a few years.

In short, it’s a shame, but the Habs need to look forward, and clearly, Gallagher is living on borrowed time in Montreal right now, because at 35 in two years’ time, the Habs will be looking elsewhere. As for Josh Anderson, he’ll be 33 in two years’ time, and his presence with the Habs beyond his contract really depends on what he brings to the team in the next two seasons.

He could still have some important role in terms of depth in two years if he develops some chemistry with a guy like Florian Xhekaj.I’ll leave you Stu Cowan’s full mailbag here.

’Overtime’

– Happy birthday to two legends!

– It’s also the birthday of another Habs alumnus.

– For those interested,