New Vancouver Canucks winger Brendan Gallagher will wear jersey No. 7 this coming season to honour his late mother Della, who died March 7, 2025 at age 66 after a battle with glioblastoma, a Stage-4 brain cancer. The 34-year-old former Vancouver Giants star was traded to the Canucks by the Montreal Canadiens on Monday in exchange for future considerations.
Gallagher's connection to No. 7
Gallagher said No. 7 was always Della's favourite number, and he even wore it for a few years in minor hockey. During his 14 seasons in Montreal, he primarily wore No. 11, but that jersey has been effectively retired by the Canucks since 1974, except for a three-year stint by Mark Messier. Wayne Maki, a fan favourite from Vancouver's inaugural 1970-71 season, wore No. 11 and died of brain cancer in 1974 at age 29.
Gallagher wore No. 11 during his four seasons with the Vancouver Giants. A fifth-round draft pick of the Canadiens in 2010, he started his NHL career with No. 73 in 2012-13 but gave it up for Michael Ryder, then returned to No. 11 after Scott Gomez left the team.
Emotional transition from Montreal
Gallagher acknowledged that his time with the Canadiens was ending after he couldn't consistently crack the lineup during the 2025 playoffs. During his year-end media availability, he broke down while thinking about Della and the support from his Montreal teammates. "I went through some pretty tough times, and the way the guys came behind me and rallied behind me last year is one of the proudest moments I've had," he said.
On March 20, 2025, Gallagher spoke about Della, saying, "Our whole lives, she really did so much for us as a family."
No. 7 history with the Canucks
Players who have worn No. 7 for the Canucks include centres Cliff Ronning (Burnaby), Brendan Morrison (Pitt Meadows), and Andre Boudrias, Vancouver's first star. Defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph wore No. 7 last season but was not given a qualifying offer and will become a free agent. Gallagher has one season remaining on a contract with a cap hit of $6.5 million, with Montreal paying half as part of the trade.
The Messier-era controversy over No. 11 resurfaced when he wore it in 1997-98. The Maki family believed the jersey was retired. Former Canuck captain Chris Oddleifson briefly wore No. 11 after a February 1974 trade, but after Maki's death that spring, he was issued No. 14. Oddleifson recalled, "When I came to training camp in the fall, I was told the No. 11 was retired because of Wayne's death." Messier said he had spoken to team president Pat Quinn, who assured him not to worry.
