With the offseason pretty much in full swing for the entire NHL (except for the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights), the time has come to check in on impending UFAs.
There’s one soon-to-be free agent who might be a solid fit for the Colorado Avalanche this offseason. That’s Brendan Gallagher.
Gallagher was unceremoniously bumped off the Montreal Canadiens roster in the postseason. It was too bad when considering the 34-year-old had been a good marine for the team during some of its leaner years.
Following the Habs’ elimination in the Eastern Conference Final, Gallagher pretty much confirmed he would not be back in Montreal next season. That statement has opened up speculation about potential landing spots.
And would Colorado be a decent one?
Gallagher is a solid bottom-six grinder. While he isn’t exactly the biggest guy in the world, he’s about as tough as they come. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and can toss in some offense for good measure.
In 77 games this season, the former fifth-round pick from the 2010 NHL Draft chipped in seven goals and 23 points. That’s not bad for a guy who plays under 12 minutes a night.
Avalanche could land Gallagher on cheap contract
Gallagher is coming off a six-year deal that carried a $6.5 million cap hit. There’s no chance he’s getting anything like that this summer. While there might be a multi-year deal out there somewhere, if Gallagher really wanted to play for a contender, he could take an incentive-laden deal.
Perhaps Gallagher could look at a deal similar to the one Brent Burns signed last offseason. Something like a $1 million base salary plus incentives would motivate Gallagher to head to Colorado.
As for the Avalanche, having a depth guy with the heart and grit that Gallagher offers is certainly a major plus. When considering that the Avs might see some roster turnover this summer, adding a solid veteran like Brendan Gallagher on the fourth line would bode well for the team.
Yes, we would love to see Dylan Larkin join the Avalanche. But since that may not be a realistic situation, adding a veteran piece like Gallagher could be one of those under-the-radar moves that Joe Sakic has been known for.
At the moment, the chatter surrounding Gallagher is that the Canadiens have given his agent permission to seek a trade to a team that would like to re-sign him. That doesn’t sound like something Colorado might want to do.
But if Gallagher hits the open market on July 1, the Avs should definitely give him a ring.
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