Playing in the South Delta Minor Hockey Association, Gallagher was selected in the ninth round of the 2007 Western Hockey League (WHL) bantam draft by the Vancouver Giants.[1] He joined the Giants for his rookie campaign in 2008–09, scoring his first WHL goal on September 27, 2008 in a 7–3 win over the Prince George Cougars.[2] Finishing the regular season with ten goals and 31 points over 52 games, Gallagher added three points (one goal, two assists) in 16 postseason contests, as the Giants were eliminated in the semifinals by the Kelowna Rockets. The following season, Gallagher improved to 81 points over 72 games, ranking second among Giants players behind Craig Cunningham, while his 41 goals were a team high.[3] His strong play continued into that year's playoffs, helping the Giants to the semifinals for a second consecutive year. Overall, Gallagher registered 21 points (11 goals and 10 assists) in 16 postseason games, ranking second in team-scoring and fifth across the league,[4] as Vancouver was eliminated by the Tri-City Americans.[5]
During the playoffs of his draft eligible season, Gallagher was selected as the Male Youth Athlete of the Year for his hometown of Delta, British Columbia.[1] Initially ranked 152nd among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau,[1] he was selected in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2010 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens. Returning to the major junior ranks thereafter, Gallagher recorded career highs in 2010–11. On February 28, 2011, he was named WHL Player of the Week after recording ten points (five goals and five assists) in three games.[6] In March 2011, Gallagher was sidelined with a head injury, sustained after receiving a hit in a game against the Portland Winterhawks.[7] Despite this setback, Gallagher finished first in team scoring as well as eighth amongst all WHL players with 91 points over 66 games,[8] earning himself recognition as part of the league's West First All-Star Team.[9] His 44 goals were just four shy of Evander Kane's single-season team record.[10]
Appearing in his second training camp with the Canadiens leading up to the 2011–12 season,[11] Gallagher was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract upon return to his junior squad.[12] In December 2011, he temporarily left the Giants for the Canadian national junior team. On January 7, 2012, Gallagher recorded a seven-point effort in his WHL return including a hat-trick against the Portland Winterhawks.[13] Three days later, he assumed team captaincy after predecessor James Henry was dealt to the Moose Jaw Warriors.[14] Not long after, Gallagher sustained an upper-body injury after colliding into the boards while pursuing a loose puck in a game against the Tri-City Americans.[15] Following return to the lineup in late January,[10] he proceeded to break both the Giants' record for all-time goals and points set by Adam Courchaine seven years prior. With a hat-trick against the Tri-City Americans on February 14, Gallagher surpassed Courchaine's mark of 126 goals.[16] Eleven days later, he recorded two goals in a 5–3 win against the Kamloops Blazers for his record-setting 274th point as a Giant.[17] Near the end of the season, he was voted by a panel of WHL players, executives and broadcasters as the most valuable player to his team in the Tri-City Herald's annual survey and once again earned league West First All-Star Team honors.[18][19]
Over the course of his junior career, Gallagher had earned a reputation as a fast-skating scorer who plays with energy and aggression, making him adept in both offensive and defensive situations.[1]
Professional
In his first professional season, Gallagher was assigned to the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, due to the ongoing NHL lockout at the time. Upon a resolution, he was recalled to the Canadiens' training camp and joined the team for the shortened 2012–13 season. Gallagher scored his first NHL goal on January 27, 2013 against Martin Brodeur in a 4–3 win over the New Jersey Devils.[20] After the reacquisition of Michael Ryder by the Canadiens in February 2013, Gallagher switched from jersey number 73 to 11 to accommodate the veteran forward, who had worn 73 throughout his NHL career.[21] It was later revealed that the foregoing had offered Gallagher a Rolex watch in return of the number 73, however, this promise was never fulfilled.[22] He ended his rookie campaign with a total of 15 goals and 13 assists in 44 games, establishing himself as a key member of Montreal's offence, often playing on the Canadiens' first line.[23] On May 6, 2013, Gallagher received nomination for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year, and placed second in voting.[24]
On November 29, 2014, the Canadiens agreed to terms with Gallagher on a six-year contract extension.[25]
Gallagher with the Bulldogs in November 2012. He was assigned to the team during the 2012–13 NHL lockout.
On September 18, 2015, the team announced Gallagher as one of their newly appointed alternate captains along with P. K. Subban, Tomáš Plekanec, and Andrei Markov.[26] During the course of the 2015–16 season, Gallagher broke two fingers after blocking a shot from Johnny Boychuk and would require corrective surgery.[27] He returned to the Canadiens lineup for the 2016 NHL Winter Classic.[28] His injury woes continued into the following season whereas Gallagher broke his hand and missed a period of eight weeks as a result.[29]
The 2017–18 season was a career year for Gallagher, despite the Canadiens not qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. He was placed on a shutdown line along with centreman Tomáš Plekanec and led the team in even-strength points.[30] Gallagher ended the regular season with a career-high 54 points and was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy as a player who best exemplifies leadership qualities and community contributions.[31] He was likewise named the recipient of the Canadiens' annual Molson Cup honor as player of the year.[32]
For the 2018–19 season, Gallagher was once again named as team alternate captain with the inclusion of Paul Byron.[33] On February 21, 2019, Gallagher recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 5–1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.[34] He played in his 500th career NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes on October 30, 2019, registering a goal.[35]
On October 14, 2020, Gallagher signed a six-year, $39 million contract extension with the Canadiens.[36]
Following appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, the 2021–22 season was a struggle for both Gallagher individually and the Canadiens overall. As a result of various injuries and a severe bout of COVID-19, Gallagher collectively missed twenty-six games, and, after four consecutive years as one of the league's most dominant forwards during five-on-five play, would not score a goal at even strength until an April 5, 2022 game against the Ottawa Senators. Newly appointed team head coach Martin St-Louis expressed a desire to "rewire" Gallagher's approach to playing the game, encouraging him to "use up less physical energy by playing a bit more of a mental game."[38] Finishing with just seven goals and 17 assists, Gallagher would later say that the main consolation of his worst season production wise to date was a four-month off-season that would enable him to recover his health and strength by working with his father Ian. While there was some discussion of Gallagher being named the team's new captain following the departure of Shea Weber, this was ultimately given to Nick Suzuki.[39]
Injury again caused Gallagher to miss significant playing time during the 2022–23 season whereas he would break his ankle blocking a shot in the team's twelfth game of the season and, despite attempting to play through, suffer yet another break in January 2023. As a result, Gallagher would be sidelined until the end of March.[40] That same month, he scored his 200th career NHL goal in a game against the Buffalo Sabres on March 27, tying the contest late in the third period.[41] When discussing his perpetuation to injury at the end of the season, Gallagher said he would have to change his approach to his health, admitting "it's really hard to change your identity as a player and everything that I've always believed in. But, certainly, in the end I ended up missing more time due to it. That's something I'll have to think about and going forward probably be a little bit more honest with myself about."[40][42]
In December 2010, Gallagher was invited to the annual selection camp for the Canadian junior team.[43] Failing to make the roster, he was among the initial cuts.[44] The following year, Gallagher made the team for the 2012 World Junior Championships, held in Alberta. In the last contest of the preliminary round, Gallagher was named Canada's player of the game after recording a game-high seven shots on goal in a 3–2 win against the United States.[45] In the semifinal, Gallagher recorded a goal and two assists on Canada's last three goals, helping them get within one goal of erasing a 6–1 deficit against Russia.[46] Canada went on to win their bronze medal game against Finland 4–0.[47] Gallagher finished the tournament with six points (three goals and three assists), tying for fifth in team scoring, while leading Canada with 35 shots on goal.[48] Gallagher was also a part of Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship. During the tournament, he scored two goals and three assists for a total of five points in ten games as Canada won gold.[49]
His father, Ian, is a strength and conditioning coach for the Vancouver Giants. Prior to joining the Giants himself as a player, Gallagher was familiar with the team through Ian's work.[52] His mother, Della, likewise comes from an athletic background, and was previously both a baseball shortstop and catcher.[53] He has three siblings: sisters Erin, a senior cost accountant at Stemcell Technologies in Vancouver,[54] and Breanne, a student-athlete who plays soccer at the University of Calgary, as well as a brother, Nolan, who is a member of the Burnaby Fire Department.[55]
In January 2014, McDonald's introduced "The Gallagher" burger in its Quebec-based restaurants.[56][57] Gallagher again created a signature burger for McDonald's prior to the 2015–16 NHL season, along with teammate Alex Galchenyuk (who created one of his own).[58]
In July 2023, Gallagher got engaged to Emma Fortin in Whistler, British Columbia.[60] They were married in Montreal a year later.[61] In December 2024, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child.[62]
^Godin, Joanie (June 17, 2017). "De père-fils à entraîneur-athlète" [From father-son to coach-athlete] (in French). Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved August 1, 2024 – via NHL.com.
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