Canadiens: Looking For A Spark On The Bottom Six
Head coach Martin St-Louis is looking to ignite more offense from the Montreal Canadiens' bottom six forwards by making a simple lineup adjustment. During Monday's practice in Brossard, he decided to swap Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher.
While St-Louis has largely stuck to a consistent formation this season—changing lines only when injuries required it—this marks a deliberate tactical move. He moved Gallagher back to play alongside Kirby Dach and Zack Bolduc, while Veleno now joins Jake Evans and Josh Anderson.
“It’s not that I’m unhappy with either line,” St-Louis explained. “I just want to see if a small change might bring more offensive production.”
Earlier in the season, Gallagher skated with Dach and Bolduc through the first five games, where the trio found chemistry. Bolduc recorded four points, Dach collected two of his three season points, and Gallagher tallied four of his six points during that stretch. Meanwhile, Evans and Anderson opened the season with Patrik Laine but failed to register a point, as Laine’s unpredictable play seemed mismatched with their direct style.
Looking Ahead
The Canadiens hope this adjustment can reignite their scoring depth and bring a spark to the lower lines as the season continues.
Author’s summary: Martin St-Louis reshuffles Gallagher and Veleno to spark offense, seeking renewed chemistry and scoring balance in Montreal’s bottom six.