Quoting: GMs
Bergevin could convince Blake to go after Gallagher and there’s not only points. We all know it’s never been about points for Gallagher but grit & heart. Plus he can score goals. Giroux Gaudreau Forsberg Kadri are all 8M+ players, Rackell Kessel Carter aren’t better than Gallagher. Riley Smith & Perron are better targets but again, there’s gonna be a lot of team after them. Nichushkin probably stays in COL. You want have any grittier players than Gallagher in the ones you named. Like I said, I understand you don’t like it but it is a possibility
I think you are entitled to your opinion, sure. Gallagher is an excellent player who is in a slump but could easily return to form in better surroundings. Yes, he has past chemistry with Danault, He is a heart and soul player for sure.
But the fit isn't there for several reasons.
1. Danault is not struggling without Gallagher and has quickly adapted to the Kings defense-first mentality. It is Gallagher who is struggling with the Habs, and unless he turns it around his value is rock bottom. This is not just his scoring, almost every recordable stat is struggling and that is a big deal.
2. If Bergevin is involved he knows how to get the best in a trade, I think he'd suggest that the Habs retain in order to facilitate a trade, which I don't think they will.
3. Blake's rebuild was to make the team younger, faster, and stronger. This team is being built with the same large heavy-hitting but with speed for once. I think Gallagher's size will be an issue if his skill is on the decline.
4. Replacing Brown is much harder than finding a heart and soul player, Brown leads the league in career hits, has played with Kopitar almost his entire career, and wore the C when the Kings won two cups. The belief is that our next Brown might be in Vilardi or Turcotte. But in the interim, those are hard shoes to fill.
5. I think you have to admit that California is not only a good destination for players families, but the team is major market, and a robust prospect pool to make LA a potential long-term destination for players. This will be a preferred free agency destination as it has been when the Kings were competitive.
You might be right, there may be a way he comes here, but I frankly see no way Gally comes to LA unless Montreal is taking a big chunk of that salary or he turns it around and proves he is a 30 goal scorer, because right now the Kings 4th liners individually are on track for more goals than him.