Canadiens needed 'fresh start' with Gorton, new GM in charge, owner says
Molson believes running hockey operations is two-person job after Bergevin was fired
"A fresh start," Molson said. "I strongly believe that this organization needs a fresh start. At this stage, a fresh start is not so much at the team level but rather at the management level."
But what will that look like? What will it sound like?
The Canadiens must be cutting edge to compete in a modern NHL with 32 teams, a salary cap and parity, while being measured against their own storied history and respecting the bilingual culture of Quebec.
They made the Stanley Cup Final last season but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. This season, they are 6-15-2 and tied for 28th in the NHL.
Jeff Gorton, the former New York Rangers general manager who was hired as executive vice president of hockey operations Sunday, will help find a new GM to replace Marc Bergevin,
who was fired Sunday
.
Gorton and the GM will be tasked with evaluating the current team; developing an identity; improving scouting and player development; introducing a medical performance team that will help players' mental health; and bringing more diversity into the hockey operations department.
Molson pointed out the Canadiens made 45 selections in the NHL Draft during the past five years and have 11 picks in the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal on July 7-8.
"It is essential that we structure our organization around properly developing this group of talent," he said.
If Gorton and the GM decide a complete rebuild would be best, Molson will support it.
"I'm not afraid of that word, and I think our fans wouldn't be afraid of that word either," Molson said.
The GM will have the final say.
"At the end of the day, when something has to happen that's team related, the general manager has to be the final responsible person in making that decision and has to be accountable for it," Molson said.
The GM also will be the public face, which means the person filling that role must speak French and English.
"That's one of the unique things about this market that we have to appreciate, and that's why we do this, because in our own market we have to respect the language and both English and French," Molson said. "It's unique, and it makes it complicated, and complications can be good sometimes, and I'm pretty excited about this one."
Molson made a significant admission about what he had learned about the nature of the general manager's job in Montreal since hiring Bergevin on May 2, 2012.
"It's a lot for one person," Molson said. "If I could back up a few years and know what I know today, I would have complemented him with another person, because it's that big [of] a job in this market. … To have two people thinking about making a smart decision is way better than having one person, especially in this market."
The Canadiens predate the NHL and have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, far more than any other team. They have passionate fans and demanding media. On top of that is the language issue.
Hiring Gorton, who only speaks English, and having him work with a bilingual general manager seems like a compromise and goes along with bringing more diversity.
"There is quite a big opportunity to introduce different perspectives into the organization, and that will just make us stronger and will make us make better decisions, and I truly believe that," Molson said. "It's not easy to do, but it certainly is a priority, and with this new management team coming into place, I think that we'll be in a much better position to make that happen."
The success of this structure will depend on whom the Canadiens hire, how Gorton and the new GM work together, and how they execute. But Molson is confident Gorton is a strong first step.
Gorton was fired May 5 after the Rangers were eliminated from contention for the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Rangers announced a rebuild on Feb. 8, 2018, and Gorton oversaw it, adding draft picks and free agents. This season, the Rangers are 13-4-3, third in the Metropolitan Division.
"There must have been some things that he did right," Molson said. "But I think when you do your research on Jeff Gorton, you find that he has a very good reputation not only as a person but as a general manager and as somebody who can build relationships. When I met with him, I was thoroughly impressed, and when I talked to people in my circle about him, there were nothing but positive things to say about him.
"So, I think we're all going to really like to have him here. It'll be a breath of fresh air. Like I said at the beginning, a fresh start is really important to me."
