As the final horn sounded at Scotiabank Arena signifying the end of the Montreal Canadiens’ first game of the season, Brendan Gallagher found himself with an unfamiliar number next to his name on the stats sheet.
A 24.2% on-ice five-on-five expected goals-for percentage (xGF%)
This was not a product of low raw counts. At five-on-five, Gallagher was on the ice for 0.92 xGA, fourth-worst among Canadiens forwards.
As a member of one of the league’s best possession- and chance-driving trios for the last few years, an on-ice goals-for-percentage value in the 20s is alien to Gallagher’s resume.