Kent Hughes ushers in a new era

MONTREAL -- Standing below Guy Lafleur's famous No.10, which hangs in the Bell Centre rafters, Kent Hughes' eyes widen as much as his smile.

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Hughes, who grew up venerating Le Démon Blond, is now in charge of the team that provided him with endless championship memories throughout his childhood.
"Guy Lafleur was my favorite player, Ken Dryden as well," said Hughes. "I think I can name almost every player on those teams from the '70s."
And while he clearly displays the level of respect and knowledge necessary to run a historic franchise like the Canadiens, Hughes is not here to pass a history course.
He's tasked with writing the next chapter in the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge epic.
Hughes eventually came to the conclusion that he was ready for a new challenge, though, not before one of his biggest former clients spurred him on to take up the mantle.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," explained Vincent Lecavalier. "And doing it in Montreal? It's something that he really needed to consider seriously. It wasn't an easy decision, I'm sure, but I wanted him to know that it would be an incredible experience."
Lecavalier, who spent 18 seasons in the NHL between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and Los Angeles Kings, displayed a certain level of regret in that respect, telling Hughes that even to this day, he still wakes up and thinks about his decision to sign elsewhere than Montreal.

It's rare, but in this case, it was the player giving the agent advice, using his own experience to push Hughes towards the seventh floor of the Bell Centre.
His voice fills with warmth and nostalgia the moment his former agent is brought up.
"He's such a good person," said Lecavalier. "He's incredibly loyal towards his friends, his family, and his clients. But really, when I think of Kent Hughes, the first thing that comes to mind is someone who is incredibly intelligent. Whenever a challenge would arise, Kent was the first person I'd call, and not just because he was my agent. Any time I needed help with something, I'd call Kent."
Though Hughes eventually became one of Lecavalier's most trusted friends, originally, Lecavalier intended to sign with a much bigger agency.
"The second I met with him, I realized he's exactly what I needed in my professional career," said Lecavalier. "It was the right decision. He displayed a human side, which was refreshing. For me, it was crucial to be represented by not only a good person, but an honest person. That's what you get with Kent Hughes."
Hughes' warm approach wasn't just a deciding factor for Lecavalier, it was also the driving force behind owner Geoff Molson's approval of the 18th general manager in Canadiens' history.
"That's probably one of the most important parts of my role in the interview process, to get to know the person," said Molson. "When I ask him questions about what his priorities are, I listen to the human answer. Jeff Gorton is much more on the hockey side. Between the two of us, I think we were able to evaluate the full package, and that's what we got in Kent."
Even though Gorton knows his new hire spent the entirety of his career as an agent, the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations made it clear that he sees his new colleague as a hockey person first.
"I've spent a lot of time with him in the last two weeks talking about hockey and team-building, and I like his outside-the-box thinking," said Gorton.
During his introductory ceremony, Hughes' knowledge and expertise of the game was on full display. In one short, yet concise sentence Hughes pointed to one of the biggest flaws in hockey; focusing on the symptoms rather than the root cause of any given problem.
"I don't want us to be an organization that evaluates a player and says, 'He's not performing.' I want to understand why he isn't performing."

It's a problem that has often led to premature decisions based on emotions and gut feelings rather than facts and data-driven projections.
There's no doubt Hughes' experience as a former agent will serve him well in establishing long-term relationships with players, leading to more transparency and healthy conversations whenever an issue arises.
Moreover, his commitment to revamping many areas within hockey ops will also give himself, and Gorton, the necessary tools to make educated decisions.
"We're also going to review the structure, the people who work here, evaluating the scouting department, advanced stats, and development," said Hughes.
It's a tall order, especially when you consider the team must also prepare for the upcoming trade deadline and NHL Draft, but it's exactly what every team must do to succeed in the modern sports landscape.
As an executive, it's not enough to surround yourself with smart people. You must also trust their ability to parse relevant information and put their expertise to use whenever necessary.
Anything less is not just a waste of money, but also a waste of talent - something that Hughes, an experienced businessman, has no interest in doing.
"The more we're able to work together in hockey operations, the more I think we'll be able to get the best out of everyone," said Hughes. "I want everybody to feel like they're part of the process, everyone pulling together. I think it's critical that everyone in the organization is pulling together. [I'm] going to take a lot of their thoughts and try to create a very modern organization."
It's a refreshing refrain.
Every business must continue to evolve to establish a viable approach that yields success year after year.
"We will try to put a winning team on the ice as soon as we can," explained Hughes. "But we have to do it in a manner that is sustainable. We want a consistent plan and we're going to follow the process to do that."

There's a certain level of calmness and confidence in Hughes' voice.
The challenges will be numerous and he will need to find a way to navigate the choppy waters involved in being a general manager. But Hughes displays the type of confidence that leads you to believe he's going to consider every option and use every resource at his disposal.
Whether the Canadiens are heading for a complete rebuild, or a partial re-tool, remains to be seen. Regardless of the approach taken by the front office, Lecavalier is extremely confident Hughes is the right man for the job.
"I think he'll do great," said Lecavalier. "He's brilliant, he knows hockey, and he knows the League. Yes, there's pressure in Montreal. But regardless of where you play, there's pressure. You have to perform in our industry. That goes for every player and every GM. I wouldn't worry about Kent dealing with pressure."
"That's what he does best."
While Hughes stared at the rafters in awe, reminiscing about the legends that marked his childhood, he was quick to remark one of the most important aspects that make Montreal such a unique market.
"It's not just about the teams here," he said. "It's the passion displayed by fans that makes it a special place. It's one of the reasons why I'm here. It's one of the most important jobs in the hockey world."
Planning for the future while respecting the past is no easy task, especially when you must consider the fans in the present.
It takes a meticulous approach. It takes patience. It takes time.
Things won't change overnight in Montreal, but given Hughes' track record, when things do change, they're likely to change for the better.