BREAKING NEWS: Gallagher and Anderson would fetch between $1 and $2 million if free
Montreal has emerged victorious once more, defeating the Eastern Conference champions in a thrilling 5-3 victory.
This triumph has propelled the Canadiens into first place in the standings, leaping over several other teams vying for a postseason berth.
Meanwhile, any remaining aspirations for a high pick in the upcoming draft have been eliminated after the lottery drawing. Despite this setback, Montreal has shown remarkable resilience, going 5-3-2 over their past ten outings – an admirable feat considering they face formidable opponents like Florida, Winnipeg, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.
Suzuki, Slafkovsky, and Caufield have been excelling as a unified frontline unit for quite some time now.
However, if Kirby Dach can maintain good health and additional talented offensive players are acquired through draft picks, trades, or free agency before the 2025 season, Montreal may genuinely stand a chance at postseason qualification. Nevertheless, the current obstacle lies in the fact that three experienced attackers – Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson, and Joel Armia – will still be under contract in the following campaign, potentially hindering the team’s progress.
While Armia fares relatively well among the trio, having accumulated 20 points (including 14 goals) in 58 games thus far. If he continues to produce at this rate on the third line next season, he might prove to be a valuable asset despite the 3.4million, has mustered only 21 points (alongside a dismal minus-24 differential) in 69 games this term.
Anderson has gone without a point in his last dozen appearances, extending his drought to an unproductive 12 games.
Unlike Gallagher, whose struggles have garnered little effort from him to turn things around, Anderson appears to have given up entirely. His disappointing output of 8 goals and 10 assists, along with a concerning minus-18 differential, makes his $5.5 million average annual salary for the next three seasons difficult to justify. To further emphasize this point, consider the hypothetical scenario where both Gallagher and Anderson become eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1st; what type of contract could they feasibly expect to secure given their recent performances?
Gallagher, though aged 31 and experiencing a subpar season, boasts an exceptional work ethic that can positively influence his teammates. In contrast to last year’s performance, when Jonathan Drouin notched 29 points in 58 games before securing an affordable 825,000
1.2 million, similar to what Corey Perry received from Tampa Bay after a brief stint in Montreal. However, it’s unlikely that Gallagher will experience a similar resurgence to Drouin’s current success.
Anderson’s situation is more nuanced, as he is still relatively young at 28 years old and brings unique assets to the table, including speed and physicality. However, it appears that he has lost drive and motivation on the ice, resulting in a decline in performance. Despite access to mental training resources provided by the organization, Anderson has shown resistance to seeking support.
Comparatively, Jake Evans, who earns an average annual salary of $1.7 million, provides greater value to the team than either Anderson or Gallagher.
It’s possible that a general manager from another franchise may consider offering Anderson a short-term, one-year contract valued at around $2 million, should he become an unrestricted free agent.
The belief exists that removing Anderson from the Montreal environment could potentially revitalize his game, allowing him to rediscover his scoring touch. However, any potential suitors should exercise caution, as there is evidence to suggest that Anderson’s productivity has plateaued rather than decreasing.
Hindsight suggests that trading Anderson during a period of relative stability within the organization would have been preferable, particularly given the lack of appealing trade offers during Kent Hughes’ tenure. As a result, the Canadiens find themselves saddled with two underperforming veterans whose combined salary represents a significant portion of the team’s available cap space.
With playoffs looming, the financial burden placed upon Montreal by Gallagher and Anderson’s contracts threatens to hinder their ability to compete when it matters most.
this afternoon, I’ll be discussing a rather amusing situation involving a player agent. Needless to say, it promises to be an entertaining conversation.
In the meantime, feel free to check out last week’s episode, which is chock-full of juicy tidbits. Additionally, the Rocket have made a surprise move by demoting goaltender Strauss Mann for tonight’s matchup in Trois-Rivières, following the Lions’ decision to prematurely conclude their season.
