Galchenyuk is exactly what the Canadiens need

Alex Galchenyuk picked the perfect time to go on a scoring tear.

The hottest member of the Montreal Canadiens found the back of the net twice against the the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, continuing his incendiary streak despite his team's eventual 3-2 loss.

What Galchenyuk has done for Canadiens fans of late, above all things, is calmed the nerves and put to bed any doubts they may have had of his potential now and moving forward.

Here is why Galchenyuk is exactly what the Canadiens need:

Stepping up in wake of Gallagher injury

After super-pest, turned goal-scoring phenom Brendan Gallagher went down with a brutal hand injury one week ago, Galchenyuk has lifted his game to new heights.

Starting against the New York Islanders, the very game Gallagher was injured in, Galchenyuk began a career-high scoring streak, that reached four games Saturday night.

Galchenyuk's red-hot play has been fitting and timely, considering that Gallagher had been on a seven-game point streak before succumbing to injury.

Galchenyuk has nearly matched his teammate's contribution since, constructing a five-game point streak, with a team-high seven points in that stretch.

The improved play has seen Galchenyuk's ice time rise to an average of 16-plus minutes over the past three games. And he is now on pace to eclipse his previous career highs in goals and points.

The center they've been craving

Drafted as a centerman out of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League in 2012, it was not until this season that the Canadiens finally gave Galchenyuk the reigns to play the middle of the ice full time.

Michel Therrien had been weary of using him at his natural position, but he has seemingly won over the coaching staff and now the organization is reaping the benefits.

Montreal has been looking for a true game-breaking centerman for some time. However, at 6-foot-1, Galchenyuk has helped inject size down the middle and could emerge as the very thing they Canadiens have been lacking.

His faceoff numbers are up from previous years as he maintains a 53.1 percent success rate, second on the team to Brian Flynn. If Tomas Plekanec's output starts to decline, Galchenyuk should be able to slide into the top trio.

Making Bergevin's job easier

The Canadiens have entered the last couple of seasons with onlookers waiting to see what big bodies Marc Bergevin and the management team would bring in to address the club's small stature up front.

However, with Galchenyuk proving that he is more than just an afterthought with the club, the GM can rest easy and set his eyes elsewhere, such as looking for a more reliable option in net.

Mike Condon has done a respectable job in the absence of reigning Hart Trophy Winner Carey Price, but recently the 25-year-old's play has faltered slightly. If Price's injury continues to keep him out long term, a reliable backup could be Bergevin's next plan of attack.

Meanwhile, with the experiment of Alex Semin proving to be a bust and depending on whether Gallagher's injury hits any speed bumps, the Canadiens may feel the need to add a depth player on the wing.

Whatever Bergevin may have up his sleeve, it would seem that his worries are not at the second-line center position at the moment.