Early Practice Session for Canadiens
Following a heavy defeat at the hands of the Dallas Stars, the Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis arranged an early practice session for his players at 11:30 AM on Friday. However, two of the team’s veterans, Brendan Gallagher and Jake Evans, showed up ahead of schedule at 10 AM, eager to sharpen their skills.
Focus on Skill Development
This season has been particularly challenging for both players in terms of offense, prompting them to take the initiative and work with skills coach Adam Nicholas on the ice.
Practicing with two nets positioned at one end of the rink, Gallagher and Evans engaged in a series of drills designed to enhance their scoring abilities. They executed saucer passes over a line of pucks meant to simulate a goaltender’s stick, followed by backhand shots—a drill aimed at replicating in-game scenarios. The repetitions continued as one player passed the puck from behind the net while Nicholas worked on creating simulated rebounds from the second, flat-lying goal.
As the workout progressed, one player moved to the blue line for wrist shots that the other had to tip past the goal, reinforcing teamwork and precision under pressure.
Player Performance and Goals
Gallagher, in pursuit of his first goal this season, has been underachieving, while Evans has netted just two goals—one of which was an empty-netter.
Gallagher, who has a noteworthy history with the Canadiens, is nearing a milestone as he aims to play his 1,000th game, projected for the end of the 2026-27 season, provided he remains injury-free. Currently in the second-to-last year of his contract, he holds 239 goals across 851 career games, sitting just four short of surpassing Mats Naslund, who ranks 14th in franchise history with 243 goals.
On the other hand, Evans finds himself in his first season of a four-year deal with a $2.85 million salary cap hit. Coach St-Louis has struggled to find the right line combination for him, particularly on the fourth line, with uncertainty surrounding the fit of Joe Veleno alongside Evans and Josh Anderson. Despite Gallagher currently playing with Kirby Dach and Zachary Bolduc, the ongoing injury to Alex Newhook may necessitate adjustments that could affect Gallagher’s and Evans’ positions.
Attendance and Training Updates
Besides Gallagher and Evans, only a few other players attended the optional practice, including rookies Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, as well as Oliver Kapanen and Zachary Bolduc. Meanwhile, the majority engaged in off-ice training, with no updates on Newhook’s injury or potential call-ups from the Laval Rocket reported as of yet.
