"I think one of the most important things we did that sometimes gets overlooked," Gallagher said Monday. "Yeah, we had good players, but in terms of culture, I think we created a really good culture here and that comes from your darkest days and having guys that want to be around and are committed to the process, believe in the process.
"I think that's really important, in any organization, whether it's sport or anything. It's nothing without culture and I think first and foremost that will be the focus and I think that's something that I can help out with, so I'm looking forward to that. Obviously having been through it, I know how important it is and I have a little bit of experience in that."
The Canucks are certainly at the start of a rebuild. They enter the season with a new coach in Manny Malhotra, a new general manager in Ryan Johnson and franchise icons Daniel and Henrik Sedin as co-presidents of hockey operations.
"I'm really excited to just getting around the guys, see what's going on around there," Gallagher said. "I look around (and) they have a ton of talent. They have good youth (and) there is going to be excitement. The expectations are going to be higher than obviously it was and what happened last season, but as far as where my mindset is, I know what I am as a player and I'm just going to come into the group and try to fit in."
The Canucks are coming off a season when they finished last in the NHL (25-49-8) after trading Norris-Trophy winning defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12. They selected Caleb Malhotra, Manny's son, with the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
It was a tough season for Gallagher as well. Although the Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games, Gallagher played only three games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Games 5-7 in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He had 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 77 regular-season games and one goal in three postseason games.
After the season ended, Gallagher said he would be moving on from Montreal after 911 regular-season games.
That happened Monday with Gallagher, who was born in Edmonton and raised in Delta, British Columbia, going to Vancouver.
"It was maybe the worst-kept secret that this was kind of what I hoped for, both myself as a professional but also my family," Gallagher said. "This is a best-case scenario, obviously."
The 34-year-old forward has one season remaining on a six-year, $39 million contract ($6.5 million average annual value) he signed with Montreal on Oct. 14, 2020, and can become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
"Brendan is a quality individual and a very good hockey player," Johnson said. "We love the way he competes and leads by example. Bringing in veterans like Brendan will help us set the standard for our younger guys to follow. We are excited to add someone who has ties to the Lower Mainland, wants to be here with the Canucks, and knows firsthand how passionate and knowledgeable our hockey market is in Vancouver. This is an important acquisition for our hockey club."
Gallagher played each of his first 14 seasons with Montreal since being selected in the fifth round (No. 147) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He has 487 points (246 goals, 241 assists) in his 911 regular-season games, and 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 79 postseason games, helping Montreal reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, when it lost to the Lightning in five games.
This season marked the first time Gallagher was a healthy scratch since making his NHL debut in 2013.
"On behalf of the entire Canadiens organization, we would like to sincerely thank Brendan for everything he has brought to this team over the course of his remarkable 14-season career in Montreal," Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said. "Brendan will always hold a special place in the hearts of Canadiens fans. He represented the team with such tremendous determination, passion and inspiring courage. He is the very definition of a warrior, always putting the team's success ahead of his own individual accolades. He always conducted himself like a true Montreal Canadien, both on the ice and in our community, where he made such a significant impact. We wish him the best of luck in Vancouver."
The Canucks also traded Nils Hoglander to the Nashville Predators on Monday for a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft.
NHL.com staff writer Derek Van Diest contributed to this report
