For everything Brendan Gallagher gave to the city of Montreal, it’s what the city gave back to him that he’ll remember for a lifetime.
Being honoured by the City of Montreal on Thursday – he was given the title of honorary citizen – was an opportunity for Gallagher to express his love to the place he’s called home for the entirety of his professional hockey career.
The much-loved Gallagher, who gave years of his life, hundreds of goals and an immeasurable amount of passion to the Montreal Canadiens, expressed his love and debt to the metropolis in his speech at city hall.
“I’ve been part of this city since I was drafted at 17 years old. I’m now 34 and over those years Montreal has given me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream,” Gallagher said. “It has given me friendships and relationships that are going to last a lifetime. It has given me the chance to connect with fans and become part of a community that means so much to me.
“But even more importantly than that, Montreal has given me my beautiful wife Emma, our beautiful daughter Everly, and a young baby very soon who is going to be proud to call Montreal home. As a bonus it’s given me an extended family, my wife’s family who is also here supporting me today so thank you guys for being here.
“This city has given me everything and in return all I had to do was show up every day, work hard and try to do it with a smile on my face most of the time.”
Gallagher, who spent his entire NHL career with the Canadiens after making his debut in the 2012–13 season, announced he would be “moving on” from the Habs during the team’s end-of-season locker room cleanout earlier this month.
Over 14 seasons with Montreal, the Alberta native played 911 regular-season games, notching 246 goals and 241 assists for 487 points.
Known for his gritty style of play and leadership, Gallagher quickly became a fan favourite during his time in Montreal.
“I think the reason I was able to connect so deeply with Montreal is because of the city is so relatable,” Gallagher said. “It reflects the values I admire most: hard work, passion, resilience and pride. And I got to see that every single day from the Montreal that I got to meet and connect with over the years.
“I was just a kid from Western Canada who fell in love with the city, and in return that city showed me nothing but love and support through my 14 seasons as a Montreal Canadien.”
Gallagher said being named honorary citizen by Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada “means a great deal” to him.
“It means a lot to be able to share this moment with my wife, my family and the people I care most about. But it also means a lot because it gives me the opportunity to say something that I may never have said enough over the years: merci.
“Merci to everyone who made Montreal feel like home. Merci for your support, your kindness and your belief in me. You have made this city one of the most important parts of my life and I will always be grateful for that. It means more than I can’t put into words and I’m sure we’ll see each other again very soon. Merci beaucoup.”
