Vancouver reporter Rick Dhaliwal let it be known this week that Gerry Johansson, Brendan Gallagher’s agent, was permitted by the Montreal Canadiens to speak to other teams to facilitate a trade out of town.

Of course, that doesn’t mean a trade is imminent. After all, Patrik Laine’s agent was said to have been given permission to speak to other teams in the run-up to the trade deadline, and the Finnish sniper stayed put, but they aren’t the same kind of player.

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While Gallagher’s $6.5 million cap hit could be seen as prohibitive, the fact is that he could be a key piece for a rebuilding team with the leadership, work ethic, and dedication he brings to the table. The 34-year-old won’t be as productive as he once was, but he does have a knack for leading his teammates into battle.

If you had told me a year ago that Gallagher would request a trade out of Montreal, I would have struggled to believe you, given how dedicated and invested he was in this team. However, his desire to keep playing outweighs his desire to remain a Hab, at least in the role the organization was willing to let him play going forward.

At the Canadiens’ dressing room clear-out day, the winger said he wouldn’t mind being allowed to go home, which would mean playing for the Vancouver Canucks, and the west coast team is at a stage where they could use his leadership. At this stage, they do have the cap room to accommodate his salary, but they’re probably not going to agree to do it without the Canadiens sweetening the deal a bit. Doing right by a man who bled red, white and blue for years shouldn’t be an issue for the Habs’ front office, especially as Kent Hughes said they would treat the veteran with respect.

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