Thursday Habs Headlines: Brendan Gallagher is Marc Bergevin’s next priority

Montreal Canadiens news and notes

• A Brendan Gallagher contract extension is the next priority for Marc Bergevin. [Journal de Montreal | Google Translate]
• It will likely be a contract that replaces Jonathan Drouin’s as the most expensive among the forward corps. [RDS]
• If you missed the news yesterday, the Canadiens signed RFA Michael McNiven, bringing the number of goalies under contract for next season to six. [EOTP]
• Patrick Roy says that Marc Bergevin’s quiet off-seasons haven’t been from a lack of trying, and he expects the Canadiens’ GM to be exploring several options for his available cap space. [RDS]

Around the league and elsewhere

• Larry Robinson was quite impressed by the play of Victor Hedman and Miro Heiskanen. [NHL.com]
• The New York Rangers’ buyout of Henrik Lundqvist’s contract is now complete. [Blueshirt Banter]
• Would the future Hall of Famer be a good fit for the Washington Capitals? [Japers’ Rink]
• Cody Ceci will become a free agent once his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs expires. [TSN]
• Oliver Ekman-Larsson appears to be a target for the Edmonton Oilers. [Copper & Blue]
• It could be a response to a report that Oscar Klefbom may need shoulder surgery, one that requires a long recovery. [Sportsnet]
• Highlight’s from the Tampa Bay Lightning’s championship boat tour. [NHL.com]
• Now that the Dallas Stars’ long Stanley Cup run is over, what does their off-season have in store? [Defending Big D]
• Looking at the top left-wingers available this fall. [Sportsnet]
• There’s a new mall under construction in Seattle, and Kraken hockey will be a central focus of the experience. [The Seattle Times]
• The official selection order of the 2020 NHL Draft has been revealed. [NHL.com]
• The NHL’s quarantine plan for 2020-21 may be less about finding places with low COVID-19 numbers as it did for the playoffs, and more about entering markets with fewer restrictions to gain ticket revenue. [31 Thoughts]