Brendan Gallagher will not return to the ice until early January after having surgery to repair two fingers on his left hand.

Gallagher broke his fingers blocking a puck on Sunday night in a match against the Islanders.

His absence will be sorely missed by the Canadiens, but it gives the team a chance to use its depth to good advantage.

"He's obviously a leader on this team and he brings a lot more than just scoring goals," said PK Subban. "He contributes a lot. He's a guy who works hard and comes to play. It's a big hole to fill but at the end of the day this is a part of playing in the NHL and playing professional sports."

Devante Smith-Pelly will move up to the first line, holding the right wing beside Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty. He has played a top line before, such as when he was paired with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf in Anaheim.

"It's nice that the coaching staff trusts me to get a chance to fill that hole. It's good for my confidence that I am the guy who is looked to do that and hopefully I can do what I need to do," he said.

Dale Weise said this is a great chance for Smith-Pelly to demonstrate his skill.

"We're not going to replace Brendan Gallagher. He does so much for us on and off the ice. This is a great opportunity for Devo to play some big minutes and a good chance for him offensively and a chance for everyone to pick up the slack so more ice time for everybody," said Weise.

Down the line, that means Sven Andrighetto gets another look on the right with Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller. The coach loved that line on Sunday.

"The Galchenyuk line, the way I see it, probably their best game all year. I like Andrighetto's speed. He's got skills. He's got poise with the puck," said Michel Therrien.

"It was not bad. I was trying to use my speed and bring space for my linemates. We had some offensive chances. And solid in our zone so it worked out," said Andrighetto.

Alexei Emelin will likely be on the ice Wednesday evening in New York, as the Canadiens match up against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.