Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher is progressing and wore a regular jersey during practice as the team prepares to resume play following the holiday break against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team reported Wednesday.
Gallagher will not be in the lineup as he is expected to miss a 12th consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old winger has three goals and eight points in 22 games this season.
Defenceman Mike Matheson, who sustained a lower-body injury on Dec. 17, will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Montreal following its four-game road trip. Matheson had just returned to the lineup after missing four games due to a different lower-body injury.
Meanwhile, defenceman David Savard and forward Sean Monahan are also progressing and have been skating in Brossard, Que., where the team's practice facility is located.
Savard has been out since Dec. 3 due to an upper-body injury while a lower-body injury has kept Monahan on the shelf since Dec. 5.
The team said there has been "slow progression" for veteran winger Paul Byron, who has yet to play this season due to a hip injury. Although Byron has not yet skated, the 33-year-old has had some improvements and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks.
The Canadiens (15-16-3) are last in the Atlantic Division and entered the holiday break on a two-game losing streak.
Watch the Canadiens take on the Lightning starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet or SN NOW.
