Canadiens make management changes
Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens have let go executive VP and GM Marc Bergevin, assistant GM Trevor Timmins, and Senior VP Paul Wilson.
Owner Geoff Molson.
“On behalf of myself and the organization, I wish to thank Marc Bergevin, Trevor Timmins, and Paul Wilson for their passion and engagement towards our Club over the last years. Their relentless work allowed our fans to experience many memorable moments, including last summer’s playoff run that culminated with the Stanley Cup Final. We wish them all the success they deserve in the pursuit of their careers. I think, however, that the time has come for a leadership change within our hockey operations department that will bring a new vision and should allow our fans and partners to continue cheering for a championship team.”
Arpon Basu: Canadiens Owner Geoff Molson has hired Jeff Gorton to be the team’s executive VP of hockey operations. He’s basically the GM as well but he does not speak French. The Canadiens will be looking for a ‘GM.’
“A process to recruit, as soon as possible, the team’s next General Manager is under way,” you can read in the Canadiens’ statement Sunday announcing that Bergevin, assistant GM Trevor Timmins and head of communications Paul Wilson had been fired. “While the next General Manager will bring significant hockey expertise to the organization, an additional criterion of that person’s role will be to communicate with fans in both French and English.”
- Arpon Basu: “On Geoff Molson, Jeff Gorton, semantics and walking the language tightrope to land the best person for the job while still respecting the legitimate concerns of the fan base.”
- Renaud Lavioe: “I’m told Jeff Gorton is not in Montréal but should be in town sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. You have to expect that at least 6 people will be interviewed for the GM position, but I’m told that names could be added in the process.”
On the All-Star weekend and the Olympics
Emily Kaplan: A thread of what has been hearing the NHL All-Star weekend and their Olympic participation.
“NHL planning for ASG in Vegas, business as usual. Gary Bettman never wanted players to go to Olympics, but made a promise w/ them & intends to see it through. Plan is for charter from Vegas to Beijing.
The NHLPA is getting exceedingly cautious. They have asked the NHL to take over some of the planning for players at All Star in Vegas. Sounds like players won’t be staying at usual NHL hotel, the Wynn Encore, but instead at hotel on strip w/ no casino. Protocols for weekend TBD
NHL players, uniformly, have fought to play in the Olympics. It’s important to them. Anecdotally, I’m hearing more trepidation about going. One player I talked to: “If you test positive in China you’re stuck there for three weeks. That’s brutal. Guys are terrified of that.”
If NHL players pull out of the Olympics, I could see the NHL shortening the break from three weeks to one week and rescheduling some games. Building availability is going to be a challenge though. Again, NHL is not down this road *yet*”