Montreal Canadiens veteran right winger Brendan Gallagher indicated his expected departure from the franchise on Monday during the team's final media availability after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Gallagher experienced a limited role during the postseason campaign, appearing in only three games and averaging 6:25 of ice time with one goal scored.
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The 24-year-old did not play in the five-game series against Carolina, having been sidelined since Game 7 of the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"It's pretty clear I'll be moving on," Gallagher told reporters.
The forward became visibly emotional during the press conference while discussing his 14-season tenure with Montreal, which spanned 911 regular-season games.
Gallagher briefly left the media scrum when reflecting on the organization's support during the passing of his mother, noting he would prefer to remain in Montreal if given the choice.
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Contract and Future Speculation
According to contract data from puckpedia.
com, Gallagher has one year remaining on a six-year contract that carries a $6.5-million salary cap hit.
His current deal features a no-move clause alongside a six-team no-trade list.
Speculation has connected the British Columbia native to the Vancouver Canucks, a team seeking experienced leadership for its younger roster.
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Gallagher remains open to potentially joining Vancouver but plans to evaluate his professional future alongside his family and agent throughout the offseason.
