NHL Rumors: Canadiens Could Trade Longtime Forward

According to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette, the Montreal Canadiens could end up trading Brendan Gallagher if new general manager Kent Hughes begins a full-on rebuild.

Cowan went on to state that Gallagher may not wish to be a part of the rebuild, which would be entirely understandable. He is turning 30 years old in May and just had his first taste of the Stanley Cup Final less than a year ago. Furthermore, this season has obviously been exhausting for the Canadiens, as they have a league-worst 8-29-7 record. Players like Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry are also currently on the block.

It's been a hard year for Gallagher from an individual standpoint, too. In 26 games, he has just four goals and six assists, which is obviously far too low for his standards. Keep in mind, he has two 30-goal campaigns on his resume and had 14 goals and 23 points in 35 games last season. He also has dealt with a lot of injury trouble this season, too.

Gallagher is currently in the first year of his six-year, $39 million contract. He also carries a six-team no-trade list, but the Canadiens would have a good chunk of wiggle room if they do want to move him. However, with his down year, the market would understandably be smaller for him at this juncture.

Alas, time will tell what will happen with the longtime Canadien.