Three Keys to a Brendan Gallagher Resurgence in 2022-2023

Most Montreal Canadiens had a very difficult 2021-2022 season, but not many struggled more than Brendan Gallagher. With just seven goals, Gallagher had what many would consider a down season.

Of course, with a player like Gallagher, a down year could be cause for greater concern. After all, Gallagher is the kind of player that’s unafraid to get physical, and is always taking a beating when entering the dirty areas. It’s why Habs fans love him, and everyone else can’t stand him.

That style of play takes a toll on the body though, hence the cause for concern. Some believe that this could just be the beginning of the end for Gallaghers career, and with Gallagher still in just the second year of his six-year, $39 million contract, it does raise a few alarm bells.

This is not an unfamiliar idea, as we have seen players entering their 30s witness their game become far less effective than it once was. Milan Lucic and Loui Eriksson are just a few examples that come to mind. One minute they’re routinely scoring 30 goals and putting up 50-60 points, and the next they’re nothing more than a fourth liner.

That being said, I am not convinced that Gallagher has reached that stage of his career, at least not yet. However, in order for him to play at the level he and everyone else has come to expect, he does need a few things to go right for him. Last season, it seemed like nothing did.

Luck

Speaking of luck, that is also a pretty big thing when it comes to Gallagher’s success and unfortunately for him, it was hard to come by last season. In this context, luck could refer to his health, but it also refers to his on ice success.

Guys let’s face it, there are very few Brendan Gallagher goals that you would classify as “pretty” or “highlight reel.” He might be the face of ugly, garbage goals. And there isn’t anything wrong with that, but it does mean when luck is not on your side, you’re going to have a rough time.

Last season Gallagher was still highly effective at creating offense. So if he’s creating offense at an elite level, why are the goals not coming? Well, it could be a multitude of factors, which we will dive into later, but luck is definitely a part of it. Last season, Gallagher had a shooting percentage of 4.9%. For his career prior to this season he was shooting at 10.1%, so his numbers were essentially cut in half.

And yet, he was doing all the right things, the puck just wasn’t going in. But the message to #11 should not change. He’s got to keep playing the exact same way, it’s worked wonders so far. His luck is bound to turn around.

The last thing the Habs want to do is try and change what’s worked for 10 years because of one bad season. Instead of fixing Gallagher, they need to help him by putting him in a more favourable situation, which they didn’t really do last year.

Linemates

The best years of Brendan Gallagher’s career came when he played on a line with Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar. For three years, that line was the model of consistency, playing at an elite level at both ends of the ice night in and night out. So when both Tatar and Danault parted in free agency, it really wasn’t that surprising to see Gallagher’s game take a step back.

Gallagher showed incredible chemistry with his linemates who all seemed to make each other better players. It was almost expected that Gallagher would take a step back without them alongside him. Still, scoring just seven goals and 24 points was disappointing. But to be fair to Gallagher, he wasn’t put in the best situation to thrive.

Imagine telling someone that just a few months after making it to the Stanley Cup Finals, Gallagher would be playing on a line with Laurent Dauphin and Mike Hoffman. Those were Gallagher’s most common linemates last year, so is it any surprise that the winger struggled to produce like normal? Hoffman himself also had a bad year, and Laurent Dauphin is a fourth line forward at best.

It may not be fair to absolve Gallagher of all blame for his performance last year, but this certainly explains some of the reasoning behind his drop-off. If the Canadiens want Gallagher to succeed, which they obviously do, it would be wise to put him in a better position to thrive.

The bottom line is, whether the Habs plan on trading Gallagher, or keeping him a part of the core, they need to get the most out of him. Last season, things just didn’t go Gallagher’s way. Some of it was out of the Canadiens control. But there are things the Canadiens could do to help Gallagher find his form again. I believe that if these three things happen, Gallagher will bounce back.

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