The Vancouver Canucks have acquired veteran forward Brendan Gallagher from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for future considerations, the teams announced Monday.
The Canadiens retained 50 percent of Gallagher's $6.5 million salary cap hit and $4 million actual salary for the final season of his contract to facilitate the move.
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The 34-year-old winger, a British Columbia native, requested a trade to be closer to his family as his wife expects their second child in July.
Gallagher's Role in Vancouver
Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson expressed strong enthusiasm for adding the experienced leader to a young roster undergoing a structural rebuild.
"Brendan is a quality individual and a very good hockey player. We love the way he competes and leads by example," Johnson said.
"Bringing in veterans like Brendan will help us set the standard for our younger guys to follow. This is an important acquisition for our hockey club."
Gallagher saw his usage diminish this past season, registering 23 points in 77 games and becoming a healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career before appearing in only three playoff contests.
"First and foremost, the priority is my family. So that's No. 1 always," Gallagher said.
"I've got a daughter that's going to be under 2 and a newborn. She can't be doing that alone."
The forward noted that losing a consistent role in the lineup heavily impacted his personal outlook, motivating his desire to find an environment where he could remain an active contributor.
