Drafting is not, nor has it ever been an exact science. You can draft a guy in the first round, heck even in the top 3 and think he'll be your long awaited 1st line centre and end up giving up on him and shipping him out of town... The good thing is though, you can also draft a diminutive winger 147th overall and think that not much will come out of that pick and end up being pleasantly surprised. Tomorrow, one of the Canadiens' assistant captain will be featured in his 500th NHL game and it's been an impressive ride. Just last week, Brendan Gallagher got his 300th career point and I must admit, it doesn't feel like he's been around long enough to be hitting these milestones yet. I don't know about you but to me, it seems like Gally will always be that youngster full of energy who burst onto the scene in the 2012-2013 shortened season... Remember when Habs nation was buzzing about the two Gallys? One was going to be a great scorer and playmaker while the other was a hard nosed grinder who never gave up...8 years later, both are still NHL players but it's safe to say that only one has exceeded expectations.
I know, Gally has 301 points to Chucky's 298 and the American has played 6 less games but he was projected to be a scorer while Gallagher wasn't. Furthermore, look at the plus/minus column, I know, many think this is a garbage stat but it still reflects if you were on the ice when your team scored or got scored on and while number 11 is +52, the Penguins' newest winger is -53.
More than the numbers though, what's really impressive about Gallagher is his determination, his tenacity and his drive. The man just never takes a day off and he never gives up. If there were more Gallaghers in the Tricolore's line-up, the team would fare much better. At 27 years old, Gally wears an A on his jersey and it's easy to see why some people think it should be a C. When Shea Weber retires, if Gallagher is still in Montreal, he will proudly wear the C and it will be a deserved honour. From a super pest prone to take bad penalties or have goals waved off for goalie interference, he's become a repeat 30 goal scorer who now knows where the line is and how not to cross it. At a team friendly cap hit of 3.750 M per season for this year and the next, he is without a doubt a bargain and in my mind, Marc Bergevin must do everything in his power to retain his service.
There are players that just play hockey but not Gallagher, Gallagher lives hockey and wears the legendary Habs jersey with such pride that it would be a crime to let him skate away. Many said that the way he played the game, he would have a short career because his body just wouldn't hold up but after breaking his hand a couple of season in a row, he's played 82 games in the last 2 season and he seems to be doing just fine. Like good wine, Gallagher has aged well, he still mixes things up but he does it more wisely and hopefully, he'll be able to do it for many more seasons.
Nowadays, if you ask his teammates about the kind of player that Gallagher is, they'll bring up his competitive side and his dedication. If you ask Carey Price, he'll joke a bit about him as well:
Brendan Gallagher plays game 500 tomorrow. I asked Carey Price if he thinks Gallagher’s shot has improved over the years, as it seems to me. “Yeah. For sure. Even just the last three years his shot’s improved. He’s extended his range from 6 inches,” he laughed.
In this day and age, it's hard to know what the future will bring. There once was a time where it was unthinkable that a beloved player wouldn't spend his whole career with one team but that's not the case anymore...At this stage, one can only hope that Gallagher will play another 500 games donning the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge and that sooner rather than later, we'll see this little warrior lift Lord Stanley's Cup.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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