For one night, there were no game plans to dissect, no goals to celebrate and no standings to debate — just a room filled with honourees, community leaders and sports figures coming together for a cause.
At the centre of it all was Montreal Canadiens veteran Brendan Gallagher, who was named Sports Personality of the Year Sunday at the Cummings Centre Foundation’s 22nd annual Sports Celebrity Evening, an event that also recognized Pierre Houde, Farrel Miller and Denis Boucher while raising funds for seniors’ mental health and well-being.
The evening at the Gelber Conference Centre celebrated Gallagher’s career on the ice and his impact beyond it, while raising funds for programs and services supporting more than 10,000 seniors across Montreal.
Few players have embodied perseverance in Montreal quite like Gallagher.
Playing 14 seasons with the Canadiens, he appeared in 911 games and scored 246 goals, earning a reputation as one of the NHL’s most determined competitors and a cornerstone of the franchise.
Over that time, he built a relationship with the city that has followed every stage of his career.
“The amount of love I feel from the city and the fans, the Canadiens, it’s been unbelievable,” he said.
That connection has been built not just through hockey, but through simply being part of the community.
“I just always was who I am,” Gallagher said. “I wanted to be a good teammate, someone people could rely on on and off the ice. I always wanted to be part of the community and someone people could count on. And that won’t change.”
The evening also highlighted the cause at its centre — seniors’ mental health — something Gallagher said needs ongoing attention and open conversation.
“It’s extremely special,” he said. “It’s a very important issue that I think people are talking about more and more, but the conversations can’t stop. You just want people to feel good and comfortable in their own skin, and events like this are a big part of it.”
As his time with the Canadiens moves into its next chapter, Gallagher reflected on what the organization and city have meant to him.
“I feel incredibly grateful for the 14 years I had here, 16 years in the organization. They always treated me and my family with the utmost respect, and I just want to give that back to them. The biggest thank you possible.”
“I feel like there’s no way I can say thank you enough,” he said. “I loved every time I put on that sweater. I loved every day being a Montreal Canadien. I felt everyone’s support and love. It meant a lot to me and my family. I have zero regrets. I feel very fortunate to have the time that I had. You know, it’s on to the next chapter, but Montreal will always be home.”
The Sports Celebrity Evening continues to serve as a key fundraising event for seniors’ programs across Montreal, supporting mental health services, memory care, therapy programs, Meals on Wheels and home-care assistance.
The organization supports more than 10,000 seniors annually — many facing financial and social challenges.
Co-chair Mike Wagen said the event has grown into one of Montreal’s key fundraising efforts for seniors.
“The Cummings Centre is one of the largest community centres in North America,” Wagen said. “There are over 10,000 seniors who visit us every year and are provided with social programs, both for the well and the frail. And the foundation is the primary funder for this agency.”
He added that the need for support continues to grow.
“The demographics today in society has seniors living much longer and in Montreal, it’s probably not a well-known fact that over 27 per cent of seniors live below the poverty line. The centre is administering a budget of approximately $40 million a year. And the programs are absolutely essential for so many Montrealers that need that support.”
Former Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien attended the event and spoke about reconnecting with Gallagher and supporting the cause.
“It’s a special event and I’m really pleased to be here,” Therrien said. “I’m really pleased to see Brendan because he was a special player to me and I haven’t seen him for a long time. But these days we still get in contact with text message and stuff like that. I’m so happy to see him. He’s such a great person and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Therrien said mental health struggles often remain hidden until they become severe.
“I think a lot of people are suffering more than we think with mental health issue. And they can be afraid to go knock on doors and to receive some help.”
He pointed to the recent passing of former NHL forward Claude Lemieux — a four-time Stanley Cup champion with Montreal, New Jersey and Colorado — as a reminder of how quickly life can change.
“You look at one of my good friend, Claude Lemieux, who we all know what happened to him. I was with him a few months ago. Never saw it coming, you know. So I spent time with him and it was a shock.”
He said those moments reinforce the importance of awareness and support.
“Sometimes there’s signs, sometimes there’s no signs, but we have to try to do our best to try to support those people that need some help.”
One of the evening’s highlights was a live on-stage conversation between Gallagher and legendary broadcaster Pierre Houde, who has followed nearly every chapter of his NHL career.
Houde received the Larry Fredericks Media Award in recognition of a 50-year career that has defined sports broadcasting in Quebec.
Best known as the French-language voice of the Montreal Canadiens and Formula One on RDS, Houde has become one of the most recognizable and respected figures in Canadian sports media.
In 2024, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The evening also recognized entrepreneur and community leader Farrel Miller as Community Honouree.
A Montreal native, Miller has founded several successful technology companies, including LiveBarn, JumpTV and Evry Jewels. Beyond his business achievements, he has devoted considerable time and energy to charitable causes and community organizations.
A passionate supporter of hockey, Miller previously owned the Montreal Juniors and helped spearhead efforts to reintroduce hockey to the Maccabiah Games.
Together with his wife Lisa Singer, he has supported numerous philanthropic initiatives benefiting education, health care, sports and community development.
Former major-league pitcher Denis Boucher received the Expos Tribute Award for his contribution to Montreal baseball history.
The Lachine native remains one of only four Canadians to have played for both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Montreal Expos. Boucher, who made his major-league debut in 1991, was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023.
The evening ended with co-chair Mike Wagen presenting Gallagher with a Canadiens jersey covered in messages, a gesture of appreciation for his years with the organization.
Wagen told him he will be missed, bringing a personal close to the night.
