Canadiens Officially Announce Hiring of Dudley

The Montreal Canadiens let another of the hockey world's worst-kept secrets out of the bag today as the club officially announced that Rick Dudley would become an Assistant General Manager with the club.  You can read a bio of Dudley - a very well respected hockey man and a phenomenal talent evaluator - in the official announcement here: http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=632679&navid=DL|MTL|home

Bergevin also remained true to his word regarding Larry Carriere, announcing that his contract had been extended and that he would stay on under his old title of Assistant GM.  So yes, that means both men carry the same title, though it is still unclear how the tasks may be divided between the two.  Having Carriere on board - a guy who spent part of last season on the bench with the current players as an Assistant Coach - will certainly help introduce Bergevin to the roster he is taking over.  It isn't unthinkable that Carriere's main responsibility, once things settle down, is one of GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs.  As for Dudley, per his release from the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is unable to work this year's Entry Draft for the Habs.  But you wouuld have to imagine the amateur side will remain Trevor Timmins's show anyway, while Dudley focuses on Pro Scouting and Player Personnel.  If we take the press release at face value, it is also interesting to note that Bergevin says he is thrilled to have both Dudley and Carriere with him for several seasons, meaning they are likely multi-year deals in both cases.  This seems like a natural decision for an organization that has preached wanting stability.

After hiring a new scout in Bobby Kinsella yesterday (who, by the way, you can follow on Twitter here: @DFS_BobbyK), Bergevin continues to round out his "cabinet" if you will.  I take this as a positive for Habs fans, as the team has the resources to bring in the right hockey guys to build a large and strong front office, but has opted not to for many years.  As ex-Hab Jaroslav Spacek said, "It was only Pierre's (Gauthier) way."  All of these new perspectives bring a breath of fresh air to the organization, and fans should be excited to see where it goes.  The team still has room and need for a capologist (role currently filled by Patrick Boivin), additional scouts (at least one for Quebec, but hopefully also at least one more in Europe), and of course a new coaching staff, so the announcements are far from over.  This is the one area where I fully embrace adopting a Toronto Maple Leafs model of bringing in as many talented and knowledgeable hockey people with specific roles as the team can.

Bergevin and Dudley will address the media by means of conference call at 1:30 PM, and we'll have updates for you via our Twitter feed here: @DailyCanadiens.

A Day as Habs GM: A Tour of the Front Office

Before he gets to addressing matters like Scott Gomez, Tomas Kaberle, or anyone in the team's line-up, new Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin needs to assess the staff he has in place.  It has come to light that there was a lot "wrong" with the Pierre Gauthier/Bob Gainey regime of the past few years, and Bergevin has come in with the right attitudes to reverse it, but as an inexperienced GM, he'll need to surround himself with the right people.

First, Bergevin has indicated that Trevor Timmins, who currently holds the title of Director of Procurement and Player Development, has his confidence (and rightfully so given his track record) and will remain with the organization.  His role could conceivably change a little, as many have been critical of Montreal's Player Development over the past few years, so it is possible that the team brings in someone to focus on just that.  Timmins will also see his scouting staff grow, as Bergevin has committed to at least adding more sets of eyes to watch the QMJHL (currently only Serge Boisvert does this) to not miss out on local talent.  Of course, it is likely too late to add scouts in preparation for the Entry Draft just over a month away, so this is something the team will look at for next season, meaning there is no rush on the scouting staff changes to come.  But they are coming.

The other important member of the organization that Bergevin indicated would stay around is Larry Carriere, who currently has the position of Assistant General Manager.  What Bergevin hasn't confirmed is what position Carriere will hold in his new regime, as we know it is only a matter of time before Rick Dudley joins the organization from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will likely become the "real" Assistant GM.  It isn't impossible for a team to have multiple Assistant GMs - the Leafs have many who could qualify as such which is a model I'd like to see Montreal emulate - but the team will need to assign them specific roles.  One possibility is the creation of a post for a dedicated GM to the Hamilton Bulldogs, something that Carriere discussed during a little bit of late season work in Canada's Steel Capital.  It is reasonable to speculate that this become Carriere's role, or that the team may bring in someone lacking experience to grow in the job.

With Bergevin, Dudley, Timmins, and Carriere in place, the Habs seem to be building a strong front office.  But none of these men is known as a "numbers guy," meaning there could still be another opening for a specialized Capologist.  Patrick Boivin, son of former President Pierre Boivin, currently assumes this role (title of Director of Hockey Operations) but at age 33 is far from an experienced NHL exec.  Previously, the last time Montreal had a dedicated person in this role, it was Julien Brisebois, current Assistant GM in Tampa Bay and recent candidate for the job Bergevin ended up winning.  Brisebois won't return, and nor is this an area of expertise for Pierre McGuire (if he'd accept the significant paycut, GM of the Bulldogs is far more within his reach) for those who want him involved in the organization.  One possibly interesting name to watch here is Francois Giguere, another guy known to have been an early GM candidate.  Giguere has a CPA degree, meaning math is no foreign subject to him, and filled similar capacities with the Dallas Stars after his days in Colorado.

Bergevin is unlikely to stop his overhaul there, however, as his audit of the organization may encourage him to bring change to another area: Strength, Conditioning, and Athletic Therapy.  Nothing at all against Graham Rynbend, Nick Addey-Jibb, or Pierre Allard, who have provided the Canadiens with their best hard work for many seasons, but there comes a time where the curse of injuries that have followed the club - regardless of how players have changed - needs to be questioned.  And right now, with the big changes that have begun and remain on the horizon, is the ideal time to change direction and start players on new programs.

When you add in looking at the roster, surveying the upcoming free agent class, preparing for the draft, and oh yeah - finding a new head coach - it becomes clear that Bergevin's first weeks as the new head honcho will require long hours and difficult decisions.  This may shed light on why he's in a hurry to get some help, with Dudley hoping to make the jump to the Canadiens' organization as early as possible, though we still await an official announcement.  Either way, even if changes to the on-ice product are going to take a bit of time, it should be an exciting off-season of positive announcements out of Montreal.

Canadiens Hire Marc Bergevin as GM

It has been revealed this morning that Marc Bergevin will be the next General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens.  It seems he, Pierre McGuire, and Julien Brisebois were amongst the final candidates, and McGuire spoke to Geoff Molson this morning, being given the news.  Brisebois, who had been in Montreal for a final meeting as well, also revealed that he had not been offered the job.  The Canadiens later made if official, announcing that a press conference will be held at 2PM this afternoon, available live on TSN.ca, RDS.ca, and RDSInfo.

Perhaps most satisfying in this is the knowledge that Geoff Molson and Serge Savard took their time and did their research.  They seemed to investigate every lead.  In addition to Bergevin, McGuire, and Brisebois, they looked at Jim Nill, Pat Brisson, Vincent Damphousse, Blair Mackasey, Ron Hextall, Luc Robitaille, Claude Loiselle, Patrick Roy, and undoubtedly a number of others we may not have heard about as part of the process.  And they settled on Bergevin, a guy with the experience necessary to succeed in the role.

Bergevin, 46, is a native of Montreal and  former National Hockey League defenseman who played 1,191 games split between the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, and New York Islanders (but never the Canadiens).  In an interview in 1992, he actually comically stated that growing up as a Habs fan, he never felt he was "good enough" to play for the Canadiens:

He retired in 2004 and joined the Blackhawks staff, first as a Pro Scout, then an Assistant Coach, then the Director of Player Personnel, and finally Assistant General Manager last summer.  Though he has never been at a team's helm, he has experience in all relevant areas, and as such I named him as my pick for the GM job (outside of Jim Nill) from the search's get-go.

Rick Dudley, currently serving in Toronto's front office, knows Bergevin well, and stated that in his eyes, Bergevin is in the top 1% of talent evaluators around the league.  While the Habs have been blessed with a pretty good set of eyes on the prospect front in Trevor Timmins, the team's Pro Scouting has been spotty over the years, so Bergevin will be a welcome addition to the management team.  Bergevin has a strong book of contacts around the league and is well-liked and respected, important traits iin a General Manager.  Plus, on a personal level, he is known to have a good sense of humour with a joker/prankster reputation, which may be a welcome change from the dry Pierre Gauthier.

Speaking of the management team, what we don't know yet is what will happen to the rest of the front office.  I hope Trevor Timmins is given the respect he deserves and that the club keeps him in his post, but this will have to be discussed with Bergevin.  There is also Larry Carriere to consider, currently in the role of Assistant GM, but it is customary for a General Manager to bring in his people to surround him.  Thus, it isn't impossible that there may be movement on that front in the coming hours or days as well.  Stay tuned, but for now, this is a move in the right direction to restore the Canadiens as a Glorieux organization.

And as if the appointing of a new GM wasn't big enough news, SportsNet's Louis Jean announced on radio this morning that the Habs would buy out Scott Gomez's contract.  But not so fast.  First, Louis Jean claimed Dave Morissette of TVA Sports was his source, and Morissette is far from a credible or reliable news-breaker.  Further, the NHL buyout period doesn't open till June 15th, so there is no sense in making such an announcement today.  Not only that, but the current NHL CBA expires at season's end, and who knows what buyout clauses may be included in the new convention.  So don't buy this one, Habs fans.  It is possible the brass has concluded Gomez won't be back, but how they'll get rid of him remains to be seen.


UPDATE: Some early takes on Bergevin:

- Pat Brisson, a good friend of Bergevin's, and influencial NHL agent whose client list includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, the Sedin Brothers, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane:
"One of his biggest strengths is that he knows what he knows, and also knows what he doesn't know.  When he doesn't have an answer, he'll look to find it quickly.  He has a great personality, which is something the Canadiens really needed.  He's gone through all the steps, from being a player for 20 years, to being an amateur and pro scout, to an assistant coach and assistant GM.  It's like as if the Habs hired someone out of Harvard.  I'm very happy for him and proud of him."

- Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks GM, who last summer made Bergevin his assistant:
"It's never easy to lose someone of Bergevin's calibre, both professionally and personally.  It is a tremendous opportunity for him and his family.  He has played a significant role in our success over the last several years as a member of the front office and coaching staff.  I want to personally thank him for his dedication to our organization and certainly wish him all the best in Montreal."

- Darren Dreger, TSN Hockey Insider:
"Tough task of first firing coaching staff.  Can't leave Randy Cunneyworth and Randy Ladouceur hanging.  The Leafs haven't yet been asked by the Canadiens about speaking with Rick Dudley (Assistant GM since last June), but expect Dudley and Martin Lapointe (Pro Scout in Chicago since 2009) to be among Bergevin's early hires."


UPDATE: MARC BERGEVIN PRESS CONFERENCE

If his inaugural press conference was a first test, it seems Marc Bergevin passed with flying colours.  He was funny, making jokes that included:
- "I played for 8 NHL teams. I changed teams so often that my luggage was usually a team behind."
- "Thanks to Geoff Molson for his praise, even if he went a little overboard."
- (journalist says, "I sent you an e-mail a while back, not sure if you got it.") "It's probably in my Spam folder."

Signed to a five year contract, Bergevin repeated consistently that it's only his first day on the job and thus he couldn't comment much about specific players, though clearly indicated that Carey Price, as one of the game's top young goaltender, was a cornerstone to build around and would be a top priority this summer.  "When you have goaltending like that, you're a step ahead of the game."

Some other "reveals":

- Randy Cunneyworth has been relieved as Interim Head Coach and returns to the Assistant Coach role (along with Randy Ladouceur).  A new Head Coach will be hired, and it will be that person's decision as to who they want beside them on the bench.

- Bergevin likes Trevor Timmins's work, and Timmins will still be at the Habs' draft table in June.

- Bergevin calls Larry Carriere a good and respected person who knows his hockey.  Says Carriere will remain a part of his staff, but that he isn't opposed to bringing in absolutely anyone else that could help the organization in any capacity.  Wants to build a team around him, and decisions will be by committee.  First step is to analyze people who are currently in place.

- Bergevin says that yes, it is important for there to be French players on the Montreal Canadiens.  Says number one goal is to win, but there are good Francophones around the NHL.  Indicates that the QMJHL is in the team's backyard and there is presently just one scout there; that has to and WILL change.  Having more scouts in the area decreases chances of the team missing out on homegrown talent.

- Confirmation that the TVASports story about Scott Gomez this morning is pre-emptive and garbage.  No decisions have been made about Gomez yet, and Bergevin, who repeatedly reminded reporters that it's his first day and he only saw the team play twice this past season, will evaluate all cases in the coming days and weeks.  In an interview with RDS, Geoff Molson added that money isn't an object when it comes to re-structuring the team (specifically in regards to Gomez).  Says there is a Salary Cap, but will do whatever it takes to win.

- Bergevin feels there's a good nucleus in place, but talked a lot about a team mentality requiring all sorts of players, with everyone contributing.  Says he won't stand for individualist approaches; everyone needs to put the betterment of the team first.  Can't build a team with all toughness or all skill; need the right amount of everything.

- Bergevin says the Head Coach will be a group decision, but he wants someone who is well-respected and a natural leader.  Looks at Joel Quenneville as an example.  It's important for the head coach to be bilingual.

- With regards to the upcoming draft, all options are on the table.  The pick could be used, traded, or anything else, whatever Bergevin and staff feel is best for building a winning team.  He doesn't believe in rushing prospects to the NHL; if they're ready, then no problem, but doesn't like promoting a player too quickly.

GM Search Updates

**UPDATE: Following response to this post, I've added a GM Candidate Tracker to the sidebar of this site which will be kept up to date as things progress.**

Seeing bits and pieces of General Manager news all over the place and having trouble keeping tabs on all of it?  Then you've come to the right place!  Today we consolidate all the news as to where the Canadiens are at in their search for a new head honcho.

First, know that the team is in absolutely no rush to conclude the GM-hunt and name a new manager.  The next real "deadline" is the NHL's Entry Draft on June 22nd, and the Habs' scouting staff is already hard at work preparing for it.  If the Canadiens end up hiring someone serving in another role for another club, then there is little doubt that person is also preparing for the draft as well.  Thus, the new GM likely doesn't need more than 3-4 weeks with Montreal's staff to be prepared, meaning the search could go on for another month or so.  It is also possible that within that timeframe, some other GMs are fired, increasing the candidate pool beyond what it is today.

Next, know that the earlier rumour of Serge Savard being named a permanent Senior Vice President to whom the new General Manager would have to report has not been confirmed, even being denied by Savard himself. This doesn't mean it won't eventually happen, or that Savard won't remain a permanent part of the staff in some capacity, but officially his role remains a temporary advisory one for now.

As for the candidates themselves, here are the names we have confirmed and their statuses.

CURRENT CONFIRMED CANDIDATES


Marc Bergevin: Bergevin is the Assistant General Manager in Chicago and a guy who has been a part of the club in various capacities through their full revival as a top NHL franchise.  It is confirmed that the Habs asked the Blackhawks for permission to speak with him, though it is likely that even if he is the team's guy, any announcement would come at the end of the Hawks' playoff run, or if it is a deep one, at least during a small break between rounds.

Julien Brisebois: Brisebois is the former Canadiens Capologist and current Assistant GM to Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay.  He's another guy that the Habs have been confirmed as wanting to approach, though one highly unconfirmed source stated that Brisebois would have passed up the opportunity.  Many consider Brisebois one of the top candidates at this point, though personally I think his work with the Lightning has been quite overrated.

Claude Loiselle: Claude Loiselle is an Assistant / Capologist within the brain trust of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He's another guy that Darren Dreger has confirmed the Canadiens have asked for permission to speak with, and given he works in Toronto, a playoff run is no barrier in his case (heh).  Toronto's salaries haven't been the best the past few seasons, so Loiselle's work far from speaks for itself, but he is considered an up-and-comer and should be part of the process.

Luc Robitaille: Yesterday, it was revealed that the Canadiens had asked for permission to speak with the Kings' Director of Business Operations, Lucky Luc Robitaille.  Certainly Robitaille has a great hockey pedigree as a player, but his current job is on the business side, not hockey operations, which makes him a strange fit as a GM.  They may be interested in him as part of a team, however.

Ron Hextall: In addition to Robitaille, it was also said the Habs asked for permission for multiple members of the Kings' staff, and Hextall's name was later added to the "confirmed" list.  Hextall is the Assistant GM in L.A. and fans should not base opinions of his work on his unorthodox career as a goaltender.  He was a pro scout and then Director of Professional Player Personnel in Philadelphia, before becoming Assistant GM in Los Angeles in 2006.  He has the experience to make a move to another level.  But does he speak French?  I have doubts.

Francois Giguere: Another name on the confirmed candidate list is former Colorado Avalanche GM Giguere.  Giguere won two Stanley Cups in Colorado (while Assistant GM and Vice President of Hockey Operations), but has been out of a job since 2009.

Pierre McGuire: There is no confirmation that media star and former NHL executive McGuire is receiving consideration for the job, but his name has been popping up more and more frequently the past few days.  A reporter asked him about the situation, and he was said to have smiled, paused, and eventually responded that he "couldn't comment on the situation."

Paul Fenton: Fenton's name is far from confirmed as being in the mix, but the Nashville Predators' Assistant GM has been included in a number of speculative "contacted" lists.  Like the other playoff-bound candidates, any serious talks may be delayed by the Preds' run.  Not a French-speaker.

Patrick Roy: There is no real confirmation that the Habs have approached Roy about the job, but the media loves to throw his name in there in any capacity they can.  He is thought of more as a possible future coach, speculation added to by a Tweet from top prospect Mikhail Grigorenko who plays for him with the Quebec Remparts ("Cant wait to be drafted and maybe play for Roy again").  But some also say he wouldn't take any job in Montreal unless he had "full control," which might indicate the GM job is the one he aspires to (he fills both roles of GM and Head Coach in Quebec).

Guy Carbonneau: I think including him as a GM candidate is a little far fetched, but in the name of exhaustiveness, Carbonneau has said that he wants to be part of a solution in Montreal in any capacity. He hopes to be a candidate to return as head coach, but would consider any role.

Jack Ferreira: Here's a name that has NOT popped up in rumours, but Ferreira is another member of the L.A. Kings staff meaning the Habs may or may not have inquired about him.  He currently serves as Special Assistant to the General Manager, but has filled many roles over his career, including that of GM in Anaheim, San Jose, and Minnesota.  Most notably, however, he worked with Serge Savard as Montreal's Director of Pro Scouting back in 1993, so the two are familiar with one another and he has experience in this market (though I don't know anything about his mastery of la langue Moliere).  He seems like a logical candidate, with the main downside being his age.  He turns 68 in June, and if the Habs want stability longer-term, they may seek more of an up-and-comer.  A possible solution is to bring him in along with a younger, less experienced guy to learn under him and eventually take over.




WITHDRAWN CANDIDATES


Vincent Damphouse: Damphousse was quite unqualified for the position with very limited experience, but announced he was pulling his name out of the race anyway for personal family reasons.

Pat Brisson: Player agent Brisson was considered a top candidate, but withdrew from the process to focus on his agency, one of the biggest in the game with clients like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, the Sedin brothers, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane.

Jim Nill: Pierre LeBrun today confirmed that the Canadiens have contacted Detroit about speaking to the unilingual Nill, considered very capable of taking over a team after serving many functions including Assistant GM with the Red Wings over many years.  LeBrun adds, however, that Detroit has traditionally not permitted teams to speak with Nill, and/or Nill has declined for personal reasons, so he remains an unlikely candidate.  UPDATE: Renaud Lavoie confirms that Nill is not interested in the position.

To Whom Shall The Torch Be Thrown?

With yesterday's announcement of the firing of Pierre Gauthier (and letting go of his advisor, Bob Gainey), the Montreal Canadiens are entering a new era in their long and glorious (though not so much recently) history.  The question on everyone's lips (and blogs) is who will be the guy to take over at the top and turn the team around from a dismal season.

Most of the candidates out there have had their names tossed around, and it is certainly possible that a few more hats are tossed in the ring as the regular season comes to a close and other teams may decide to part with their own GMs.  Here is who I have as a top 10 wish list of potential new General Managers for our Habs.

10) Trevor Timmins

If there is one guy from the current regime that I sincerely hope remains in place, it's Trevor Timmins.  The Canadiens may not have made the flashiest picks over the past few years with Timmins as Director of Procurement and Player Development / Head Amateur Scout, but it is hard to do that picking in the middle-to-late end of the pack.  Numerous studies and analysts have lauded the Canadiens as one of the best drafting teams in the past few seasons, pulling quality NHL players out of later rounds (Ryan White, Sergei Kostitsyn, Matt D'Agostini, Alexei Emelin, Mikhail Grabovski, Mark Streit, Jaroslav Halak... etc.), while finding underrated players earlier on (P.K. Subban, Ryan McDonagh, Max Pacioretty...).  Sure he's made some mistakes (David Fischer, Andrei Kostitsyn over a boatload of other talent), but no scouting department is perfect.  Timmins lacks experience with the other General Manager functions, but with an experienced assistant, he might give the team a fresh face who will help to ensure the youth cupboard is always full (a la Detroit).

9) Julien Brisebois

Brisebois is higher than this on most lists because of his work along with Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay.  Certainly, he is well educated, has gained some experience around the league, and is headed in the direction of becoming one of the game's youngest GMs, but I would stay away from him for now.  First, back in his Montreal days, he was handed the title of Capologist, with one of his main duties being salary negotiation.  Unfortunately, he was with the organization during a time where the Habs were most heavily criticized for overpaying players, part of which could he hung over his head.  This is not to say that people can't change and evolve over their careers, but I also feel the work he and Yzerman have done in Tampa gets overrated at times.  A few quality moves no doubt, but they were handed the majority of the team's core (think Brian Burke in Anaheim) and have failed to address the biggest concern they inherited in the goaltending situation.  Still, the team could do worse than his qualifications.

8) Patrick Roy

Roy is the most popular candidate with many Habs fans, but he's another guy I don't feel is ready.  His work with reasonably strong - but not top on paper - teams in Quebec in the QMJHL has been impressive, but he has shown few signs of tempering my biggest concerns with me.  Roy is a hot-head and a guy who likes to have the spotlight on himself, which may not go over well with Geoff Molson and the rest of the Canadiens organization.  Would he get along with his coaches and the rest of the staff?  Would he be too reckless in wheeling and dealing?  You could say that these qualities are also possessed by Brian Burke, and you wouldn't be wrong, so I don't think they'll keep Roy out of the big show for long, but I also don't think the Montreal market is right for him at this time.  At the same time, he's a guy who knows well what the Canadiens are all about, and I have no doubt he'd be highly motivated to do whatever it takes to build a winning club in this city.

7) Claude Loiselle

Loiselle now has experience as an Assistant GM with two organizations (Tampa Bay and Toronto) and may be ready to move into the top job somewhere.  More than just a former NHL'er, Loiselle earned his Law degree from McGill University following his playing career, so he certainly has management credentials.  He is an informatician and CBA expert who is also a former scout, meaning he shows promise and ability to handle every responsibility thrust upon a General Manager, but of course lacks the experience of ever actually being at the helm of a club function.  As a player, Loiselle was a gritty, hard-nosed third or fourth line type, and this kind of identity might be what the Habs nees to add toughness throughout their roster.  But is Toronto ready to let him walk from his current post?

6) Pierre McGuire

Everyone has an opinion on McGuire, whether positive or negative.  The provocative hockey analyst was a part of the Pittsburgh Penguin Stanley Cup teams in the early 1990s as a Scout and Assistant Coach.  He also served as Assistant Coach and Assistant GM with the Hartford Whalers, briefly taking over the Head Coaching role as well.  Finally, he worked with the Ottawa Senators during their first few years of existence, but has been out of an NHL executive role since 1996, which many point to as a main reason not to hire him.  There is no doubt that McGuire lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps all aspects of the game of hockey.  He watches and discusses it non-stop, from the U.S. College level right up to teams across the NHL.  He is well-connected, and a thick contact book can help to take a team a long way.  People criticize his loud, over-the-top, man-crush-like method of calling hockey games, but if he were to be hired as a GM, there is no doubt he would tone it down; his television act is just that.  He has been interviewed and passed over for many jobs over the years, and might be a better candidate as an assistant within a management team (if he were willing to leave television for such a role), but it would be an interesting experiment to see if his passion for both hockey and the city of Montreal could translate to success.  That he is a friend of Geoff Molson's won't hurt his case.

5) Dave Nonis

Is Dave Nonis willing to leave Brian Burke's side in Toronto?  If so, he is a top candidate for any GM opening this summer.  Nonis worked with Burke for 6 years in Vancouver (the management team which orchestrated the move to grab both Sedins) before taking over the GM reigns from him in 2004, after which he architected the trade for Roberto Luongo.  He later joined Burke again in Anaheim a year after their Stanley Cup conquest, and then in Toronto, where he currently serves as Senior VP and Director of Hockey Operations.  Nonis is one of the few quality and truly well-experienced candidates who could be available to Geoff Molson, so it would surprise me if the Canadiens didn't at least request permission to speak with him.

4) Pat Brisson

Brisson, a native Montrealer, is a highly influential player agent who counts Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jonathan Toews, and the Sedin brothers amongst his clients.  Certainly, education and negotiation ability are some of his stronger points, while a lack of NHL management experience is his fault, though it hasn't stopped his name from popping up in GM discussions in the past.  The agent-to-General Manager career path isn't unheard of, however, with Mike Gillis in Vancouver being a prime example.  Is Brisson interested in such a career switch for likely even or less money and far more media attention?  If so, as someone without a long management track record, the team will need to carefully assess his assessment and other abilities.

3) Paul Fenton

Fenton, a former NHL forward, serves as Assistant General Manager with the Nashville Predators, a team that - year after year - finds a way to stock its roster with underappreciated and underrated talent, qualifying for the post-season with a typically well below-average payroll.  The role is really the only one he has head in the realm of NHL front offices, but he has gotten noticed as a big factor in the team's success, meaning whether or not its the Canadiens, he is sure to get a look for some top jobs in the near future.  Fenton has a strike against him in that he doesn't speak French, but he should be known well to those who remain in the Canadiens front office from Montreal's frequent dealings with the Predators both this season and in the past.

2) Marc Bergevin

If French will be a major pre-requisite in this summer's GM hunt, then Bergevin would be my top candidate. The native Montrealer never played for the Canadiens during his nearly 20 year professional career as a defenseman, but has worked in the Chicago Blackhawks organization since his retirement, contributing to the organization's revival and Stanley Cup championship in 2010.  He started as a Pro Scout, then moved to Assistant Coach, and Director of Player Development, before becoming Assistant General Manager last summer.  He is admired by his peers, and said to have a strong hockey network.  Another big point in his favour is that he is part of a group that has found creative ways to shed a team of troublesome contracts in Cristobal Huet and Brian Campbell without having to make sacrifices.  If he his hired, Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle might be wise to start packing their bags.

1) Jim Nill

Nill has been one of Ken Holland's right hand men in the Detroit organization for the team's last four Stanley Cup conquests (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008).  The former Ottawa Senators scout has served as Director of Amateur Scouting and then as Assistant General Manager with the Red Wings in the city where he finished his NHL playing career.  With such a resume and given his club's successes (especially at the draft table with Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and others), the obvious question is why Nill hasn't been picked up by another organization with a vacancy.  The answer is that it has been his personal choice to stay in Detroit, which along with the language issue, is another potential roadblock to him taking over the Canadiens.  Further, if he has chosen to remain out of the spotlight playing second fiddle in Detroit all this time, would he really consider a move to a market like Montreal?  As Habs fans, let's hope so.


Of course, along with the good, the Canadiens also have the potential to make a big mistake this summer.  Here is a short list of a few names I desperately hope the team avoids.

1) Vincent Damphousse

Damphousse's name has been thrown around a lot lately, and while he is a big Canadiens supporter and has experience working with the NHLPA, he is completely fresh to the "game" of managing a hockey team at any major level.  I wouldn't be opposed to giving him a job somewhere in the organization to get his feet wet, but starting him out at the top seems a little excessive.

2) Craig Button

TSN analyst Craig Button was once Director of Scouting and Player Personnel in the Minnesota North Stars / Dallas Stars organization, working with Bob Gainey among others.  He had his hand in the drafting of many star (no pun intended) players including Jarome Iginla, Brendan Morrow, Derian Hatcher, and Jere Lehtinen.  He later served as GM of the Calgary Flames, making the notorious move of allowing Martin St. Louis to walk from the club.  Still, he helped piece together the 2003-04 team that made it to the Cup finals, and later served as a scout for the Maple Leafs.  Button's commentary on TSN since his executive career has ended has been laughable at best.  He shows little talent in assessing prospects or evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of NHL clubs, being called out on numerous occasions.  His days in management seem over.

3) Mike Milbury

I don't think this one needs an explanation.  Milbury has been regarded as one of the worst GMs of all time. He has been out of a GM'ing job since 2006 and let's hope it stays that way (unless the Leafs or Bruins want to give him a call).

4) Larry Carriere

A controversial one perhaps, as Carriere was not sent packing along with Gauthier and Gainey, remaining in place as an interim General Manager.  It seems the Canadiens are set to look outside the organization for their new GM, but I suspect Molson will give his friend Carriere an audition for the post.  Carriere has been with the organization since July 2010, serving as Assistant GM and spending some time behind the bench as an Assistant Coach this year.  Prior to this, he served as a Scout, Director of Player Evaluation, and then Assistant General Manager with the Buffalo Sabres, and a Pro Scout with the Washington Capitals.  He has experience in all vital areas, but I think the philosophy shift the organization needs has to come from elsewhere; Carriere, at this point, is too closely linked to the old coaching and management regime (similarly, we can all pray that Jacques Martin isn't considered for the job).  I'm not opposed to him remaining with the organization, but not as GM.

5) Allan Walsh

Another agent with the potential to become a GM in the future, Walsh is a native Montrealer who has gained attention and respect in the agent community with his innovative tactics.  He was the first agent to join Twitter and to use it to applaud his clients' successes and support their causes.  This made him a controversial figure in Montreal some two years back, since he would hype client Jaroslav Halak's performances while taking veiled shots at Carey Price.  He brings to the table the kind of outside-the-box thinking the organization might seek, but he is quite short on experience and his outspoken nature might not go over well with some.