Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson has been getting as much hate from the fan base as Marc Bergevin, but there are worse options in the league right now.
Things with the Montreal Canadiens are definitely better than they were at the beginning of the season. Back then, the team couldn’t score or defend, and Carey Price was finding it difficult to be himself. Fans were outraged and wanted some reassurance from management.
Marc Bergevin’s comments at the end of October had a polarizing effect when he said the answer was in the room. Many didn’t believe it and wanted him to make use of that cap space, while others struggled to stay positive. However, Geoff Molson has had some comments that have rubbed Habs fans the wrong way as well.
Molson was at the opening of Place Bell over the summer. Even though it was supposed to be all about the Laval Rocket ahead of their inaugural season, reporters managed to squeeze in some questions about the main squad in the NHL. Molson said that he was satisfied with the moves and signings Bergevin made over the offseason which didn’t sit too well.
Additionally, Molson went on a limb to reiterate his confidence in Bergevin after the salary cap increase was announced. This caused a little more hostility among the fans who are still worried about the Habs.
One thing we need to be thankful for is that Molson is doing exactly what he should be doing. There have been many examples of other NHL owners getting too involved in a team’s decisions. Think back to all the stories with Daryl Katz who is the Edmonton Oilers owner, in particular, the tale of how it was decided to take Nail Yakupov 1st overall in 2012.
You also have to consider all the stuff that has come out of Ottawa because of Eugene Melnyk. It’s a different situation because the main issue there is relocation, but Melnyk has also had a hand in some of the moves Pierre Dorion has made. According to Kyle Turris, Melnyk was the reason why he was moved saying:
"It’s tough because I think management did want to sign me, but I think that the owner didn’t. And that was his decision."
Imagine if the Montreal Canadiens had something like that? We’ve all been worried about Bergevin making some kind of panic move to save the season, but if he had someone like Melnyk as an owner, something worse could’ve happened. As much as it’s frustrating to hear Molson say he has confidence even though things haven’t gone as planned, it’s better than adding fuel to the fire.
On the other hand, Molson isn’t a fool, and he will do what he has to for the better of the team. If that means firing Bergevin, we won’t know about it until it happens which is for the best.
Just keep in mind, when it comes to owners, it can always get worse.
What do you think about Molson? Do you think he should be doing more? Let us know down in the comments.