Not solely did veteran Habs ahead get engaged, he additionally shot a 1-under-par 71 on the Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, B.C.
Getting engaged wasn’t the one milestone second for the Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher this summer time.
“You already know what, I shot underneath par in golf this summer time for the primary time in about 5 years,” Gallagher mentioned when he spoke with the media final Friday on the CN Sports activities Advanced in Brossard. “I’m telling everybody, in order that was in all probability my different spotlight.”
Fortin is from Ste-Julie on Montreal’s South Shore and has been courting Gallagher for about two years. Fortin and her household have been serving to Gallagher enhance his restricted French.
“I really feel actually good,” Gallagher mentioned after Friday’s training-cap scrimmage. “It’s the one actual constructive in regards to the season ending early is you’re in a position to get to work (on low season conditioning) a little bit bit faster. For us proper now it’s about simply sort of feeling your manner again into it. I really feel good. Camp goes actual quick, goes by actual fast, and also you simply attempt to make the most of on daily basis.”
Gallagher has appeared excellent up to now at coaching camp. He was on a line with prospect Owen Beck and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard for the primary couple of scrimmages and was with Kirby Dach and Sean Monahan for Sunday’s Crimson vs. White intrasquad sport on the Bell Centre.
Gallagher was given the night time off for the primary preseason sport Monday on the Bell Centre in opposition to the New Jersey Devils.
“I believe he’s enjoying rather well proper now,” head coach Martin St. Louis mentioned about Gallagher. “His compete degree is at all times there. I really feel like he appears extra environment friendly on the ice as a result of he’s getting a whole lot of touches. I’m glad for him.”
Former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin compensated Gallagher for what he had accomplished previously — together with 31 targets within the 2017-18 season and 33 targets in 2018-19 — whereas Suzuki (by Bergevin) and Caufield (by new GM Kent Hughes) have been compensated for what they could do sooner or later.
Gallagher on his technique to a 3rd straight 30-goal season in 2019-20 when he had 15 targets in 40 video games earlier than struggling a concussion that ended his streak of enjoying in 229 consecutive video games. He completed that season with 22 targets in 59 video games. Since then, Gallagher has solely 29 targets over the past three seasons whereas being restricted to 128 video games.
One factor won’t ever change about Gallagher regardless of how banged up his physique may be. Nobody works tougher than him, whether or not or not it’s in a sport, a follow or a training-camp scrimmage. That dedication and work ethic is what drove him to maintain enjoying after breaking his ankle whereas blocking a shot in the course of the Canadiens’ 14th sport final season. He performed eight extra video games on the damaged ankle earlier than sitting out 13 video games. He then returned to play three extra video games earlier than breaking the ankle once more and lacking 32 video games.
Gallagher appeared good initially of final season when he was wholesome. Regardless of scoring solely two targets in his first 14 video games earlier than breaking his ankle the primary time, he was getting a lot of probabilities and he additionally had two assists within the sport earlier than breaking his ankle. If Gallagher can keep wholesome this season, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him rating 20-plus targets, though his 30-goal seasons are in all probability a factor of the previous since he’s now not a first-line participant on a younger, rebuilding group.
“Chipped in for eagle on gap 2 and I knew it was going to be a very good day,” Gallagher mentioned with a giant smile.
However breaking par wasn’t simple.
“I used to be battling my manner,” he mentioned. “I received nervous. I bogeyed 17 after which I drove it within the bunker on 18 and I used to be a little bit bit in bother. However I scrambled for my par.”
“No one actually talked about it (beforehand),” Gallagher mentioned. “It simply sort of occurred.”
It is going to be attention-grabbing to see what occurs with Gallagher this season and what number of targets he can rating if he stays wholesome.
