Montreal Canadiens training camp is underway but they have been without a few of their most experienced players.
That is about to change as one of their biggest leaders is about to return to the ice this morning.
While Shea Weber is out and won’t be back this season, Brendan Gallagher missed the beginning of training camp but will be back on the ice today.
Gallagher was away from the team for the first four days of camp to attend to family issues. There was no other explanation beyond that, nor does there need to be one. Gallagher took care of business at home this week and he will now suit up in the blue, blanc et rouge and do the same for his team like he always has in his career.
Gallagher has proven to be one of the most consistent, and best two-way players on the Canadiens roster over the past decade. Though he is a veteran who could pretty much step into the lineup and make his team better just by lining up for the initial face-off, this is an important preseason for Gallagher.
Many veterans use a couple of exhibition games to just shake the cobwebs out and get ready for the real games in October. Gallagher would have been part of that group recently, when he knew he would be playing on a shutdown line with Phillip Danault as his centre and Tomas Tatar as his left winger.
But both players left the team via free agency this season. Danault signed a huge contract with the Los Angeles Kings and Tatar signed a much smaller contract with the New Jersey Devils.
Gallagher is going to have to get used to some new linemates and it looks like it could be Jake Evans and Joel Armia. That trio has the potential to be as effective as Gallagher’s former line, but they will need some time to find the chemistry that Tatar, Danault and Gallagher shared.
Thankfully, Gallagher will be back today and the line can get to work on preparing for the regular season. Gallagher won’t play in the Red vs White game today, but will practice tomorrow and play the team’s third preseason game according to head coach Dominique Ducharme.