Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher a healthy scratch Saturday against Sharks

MONTREAL — Brendan Gallagher, the longest-serving player on the Montreal Canadiens, will be a healthy scratch Saturday against the San Jose Sharks.

Head coach Martin St. Louis announced following the team’s morning skate that Gallagher would sit out with winger Cole Caufield, who missed Wednesday’s 3-2 win in Ottawa with an illness, returning to the lineup.

Alexandre Texier drew in for Caufield after five games as a healthy scratch and scored a goal Wednesday. He’ll line up in Gallagher’s usual slot next to Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson on the fourth line.

A heart-and-soul player, Gallagher has played his entire 14-year and 898-game NHL career with the Canadiens since the franchise drafted him in the fifth round at the 2010 draft.

This season, the 33-year-old from Edmonton has six goals and 14 assists through 64 games while averaging a career low 12 minutes 39 seconds of ice time.

Gallagher, who wears an “A” on his sweater, has not been a healthy scratch since suiting up in his first NHL game Jan. 22, 2013. St. Louis said the veteran winger would return to the lineup Sunday, when the Canadiens host the Anaheim Ducks.

Montreal (36-18-10) sits third in the Atlantic Division heading into Saturday’s games.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2026.