Montreal Canadiens: Will Christmas Come Early With New General Manager?

Player Agents

Player Agents make good GMs. Brian Burke, Dean Lombardi, Peter Chiarelli, and Ray Shero stand out as success stories. The oft-rumoured Pat Brisson likely wouldn’t consider this post, but there are others who might be great fits. One is Kent Hughes, whose case has been examined at length in the media already. There is another name that merits equal consideration:

Emilie Castonguay.

The Montréal Canadiens should have more women on staff. Looking down their organization women are underrepresented, and that’s saying it kindly. New ways of thinking lead to new results, and if thats the direction then its time for the Habs to catch up. The Maple Leafs are employing Haley Wickenheiser and Danielle Goyette. It is only a matter of time before the NHL has its first woman GM, and why not the Habs?

While not necessarily as high profile as Brisson or Hughes, Castonguay’s profile is similar. She already has a rapport with Jeff Gorton. Her highest profile clients are Marie-Phillip Poulin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given Lafreniere’s contract was the standard entry-level deal for a first selection it is likely they are established.

If Kent Hughes is a presumptive front runner it is for many of the same reasons that Castonguay might also be considered. Her roots are in the province so she know the undercurrents of this market and won’t need any education understanding what the Habs mean to their fans. Combine that with already knowing Jeff Gorton, and she would hit the ground running.

She has significant relationships with top players in the Q, so she has an ability to recruit and represent player interests. That might make a difference to players considering a move in free agency. Just as important are her deeper ties to the QMJHL.  She has a finger on the pulse of the Q, something that has been woefully lacking during the 17 years that Trevor Timmins ran the scouting department. They will know about the next up and coming players here, and it is reasonable to expect  they will draft accordingly. It would be nice to see more of the best Quebec players playing for La Sainte-Flanelle.

The one major difference between Hughes and Castonguay is her playing career in the NCAA. She was a player, he wasn’t. No matter what, she has the infrastructure in place to help rebuild the amateur scouting department which, to be blunt, needs it.

Other Player Agents with Quebec ties : J.P. Barry, Claude Lemieux.

Experienced GMs

Martin Madden Jr

If there is a clear front-runner from the assistant GM ranks, it is Martin Madden Jr. It isn’t known if he will consider the position, He was nearly recruited by the Kraken, which is how he leveraged himself into an assistant GM position in the first place.

Madden Jr is among the most experienced French speaking candidates available and his track record with the Anaheim Ducks, especially at the NHL Draft are well known. The quick hits : 12 years under his belt as a director of amateur scouting and a year as assistant GM who lives in Quebec City. Watch the Ducks play. He had a huge hand in getting them there.

However, like most of the other candidates listed in this category he has not been in his post for long. This is a question of whether or not he is ready after just one season but given his depth experience and education it is hard to imagine that he wouldn’t be.

Other candidates : Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur, Danielle Goyette.

Former Habs Players

This is the one person who is really going to polarize the fanbase and the media. I’m going to use this moment to speak in defence of Patrick Roy.

Show me someone without baggage and I will show you a life that has not been truly lived. Those sorts of people come with huge benefits if they have learned from those mistakes.

Has anyone done more than Patrick Roy? At any level?

The guy is a winner, and brings a winner’s attitude. Maybe the Canadiens need that at moment – a solid winner whose teams tend to win too. He knows what it takes to excel and has credentials no-one in the province can contest.

Lets face it, he is one of the all time greats at his position. It takes a special mind, and a special drive, to do something like that. There is a reason so few can climb that particular mountain.

An ego comes along with this but an ego not really such a big deal if it is backed up. It is rare to find people having huge careers without them. What Roy will likely need is someone to help him hold on to his equilibrium if he goes on tilt. Oh look, Jeff Gorton.

Patrick Roy might surprise us as a finalist for this position. Whether Jeff Gorton and Roy can create a productive and advantageous scenario for themselves is an entirely different question, but as a hockey executive I imagine Patrick Roy would give up a great deal for a chance at this job.

Other candidates : Daniel Briere.