Winners of three straight since returning from the Four Nations break, the Montreal Canadiens are reigniting hope among their fan base. A dominant win over division rival Ottawa was followed by a statement 4-0 shutout against the Carolina Hurricanes, showcasing a tight defensive game. Last night, it wasn’t pretty, but the Habs found a way, grinding out a 4-3 overtime victory against San Jose.
With captain Nick Suzuki driving the bus—borrowing Cole Caufield’s phrase—and Patrik Laine’s resurgence (five points in three games), Montreal has largely taken advantage of the break to rediscover its game.
But while many focus on the statistical standouts, let’s turn our attention to the intangibles—the unsung heroes driving this team forward. Three players, in particular, have played a pivotal role all season, and not coincidentally, they’ve helped pending UFA Jake Evans reach career-high numbers.
Gallagher, Anderson & Heineman: Evans’ Catalysts
From the outset of the season, Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson found themselves on the same line—two veterans struggling to adapt to Martin St-Louis’ system and frequent targets of fan frustration since Montreal’s 2021 Cup Final run. The duo was paired with Evans down the middle, forming what was hard to define as a third or fourth line.
Yet, against all odds, the trio delivered solid two-way play from the start—relentless forechecking, sustained offensive-zone pressure, and sound defensive responsibility, even as the team struggled early on.
When Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia struggled and the team faltered, St-Louis shuffled the deck. Evans was slotted between rookie Emil Heineman and Armia on the fourth line, and suddenly, that unit caught fire. Meanwhile, Gallagher and Anderson took on the struggling Dvorak without missing a beat, continuing their hard-nosed, effective play. The bottom-six stabilized, and Montreal’s fortunes began to turn—helped, of course, by Laine’s return and the acquisition of Alexandre Carrier.
The Unsung Work of Gallagher & Anderson
Gallagher and Anderson played a direct role in Evans’ career-best season. They helped him thrive early on, then did the same for Dvorak when the lines were shuffled. Despite flying under the radar, the two veterans have been vital to the team’s depth success—and they’re no longer the fan base’s go-to scapegoats.
Gallagher, in particular, has found his scoring touch, netting 15 goals in 59 games while maintaining his trademark feisty play. Anderson, though not producing at his peak offensive levels, continues to generate chances with a relentless forecheck and vastly improved defensive play—earning trust as one of the Canadiens’ key penalty killers.
#Habs Nick Suzuki on Josh Anderson: "there's probably not a lot of guys in the League that would play through what he's been going through… he's one of the toughest guys I've seen and he's playing amazing at the same time."
— Priyanta Emrith (@habsinhighheels.bsky.social) 2025-02-28T02:59:47.999Z
Heineman’s Impact on Evans
The chemistry between Heineman, Evans, and Armia turned them into one of the NHL’s most effective fourth lines. Defensively sound, they were—at one point—outproducing every Canadiens line except the top unit.
Then came Heineman’s fluke injury (hit by a car), and the impact was immediate. Before the setback, Evans was producing at a 0.55 points-per-game pace with a plus-7 goal differential. Without Heineman, that dropped to 0.24 points per game and a minus-6 differential—a stark contrast highlighting the rookie’s importance. And the team suffered from it as well.
A Final Stretch Before the Deadline
If Evans fetches a strong return at the trade deadline, and if he parlays this career season into a lucrative contract, some credit must go to St-Louis for his lineup decisions—but even more so to Gallagher, Anderson, and Heineman, who played crucial roles in elevating his game.
With just three games remaining before the March 7 deadline, this could very well be Evans’ final stretch in Montreal. If so, he’ll leave knowing he had the right teammates helping him every step of the way.
