Brendan Gallagher is entering a new chapter under Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra, and the biggest news of his summer came away from the rink.
Gallagher and his partner, Emma Fortin, have welcomed their second child, another baby girl named Ella. Fortin shared the family news on social media.
The couple were already parents to daughter Everly, who was born in February 2025. Ella's arrival now makes their family of three a family of four.
It has been a summer of major changes for Gallagher, both personally and professionally, after spending his entire NHL career to this point connected to Montreal.
Gallagher remained in Montreal for much of the summer while waiting for Ella's birth, even after his NHL future officially shifted west.
That hockey change came on June 29, when Gallagher was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, setting up his first season in another NHL uniform.
Gallagher prepares for a completely new chapter
For Canadiens fans, the timing makes this summer especially emotional. Gallagher spent 911 games wearing Montreal colours before the trade closed a long chapter with the organization.
“Gally” had become one of the most recognizable faces around the Canadiens, with his identity tied closely to the club through more than a decade in Montreal.
Now the 2026-27 season will bring a different locker room, a different city and a different head coach as Manny Malhotra takes charge in Vancouver.
Before that transition begins, Gallagher has had something much bigger happening at home. The arrival of Ella gave his family another reason to remain in Montreal through the summer.
Fortin's Instagram announcement put the focus entirely on the family moment, with Ella's name visible in the post shared with followers.
For Gallagher, the coming months now carry two major adjustments at once: life as a father of two and life with an NHL organization other than the Canadiens.
Training camp will eventually shift the attention back to hockey, line combinations and Gallagher's role with the Canucks.
For now, the biggest addition of Gallagher's offseason isn't on Vancouver's roster. It's Ella, the newest member of the Gallagher family.
Will Brendan Gallagher have a strong first season with Vancouver?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Trade completed between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers: GM Stan Bowman's newest addition speaks out
