Montreal Canadiens
Islanders Interested In Current & Former Canadiens Management
The New York Islanders recently fired Lou Lamiorello, leading to a search for a new general manager that includes a member of the current Montreal Canadiens management: Jeff Gorton.
According to Arthur Staple, the Islanders have opened a line of communication with the Habs, with the ultimate goal of receiving permission to speak to Gorton, who is currently serving as the executive vice president of the Canadiens.
This is a perfectly normal approach when evaluating potential new hires in the NHL, and before any Habs fans start to stress out, there are very low odds Gorton would be interested in leaving the organization at this point.
Things can change, but Gorton has repeatedly suggested he wants to see the Canadiens rebuild to the end, a situation he was robbed of when the New York Rangers fired him in 2020-21, after six years with the organization. Gorton works alongside Kent Hughes, with both members of management serving as counterweights to ensure not just one voice runs the show, as was the case when Marc Bergevin was at the helm of the Canadiens.
Their partnership has led to very interesting results for the Habs, including a surprise appearance in the playoffs this season, which you could argue puts the rebuild well ahead of schedule. The fans are satisfied, the players are satisfied, and the owner is satisfied, a rarity just three full years into a rebuild. They’ve also done a great job balancing development with maintaining a healthy number of quality draft picks, to ensure there’s a constant stream of talent heading to Montreal.
ON TOPIC: Canadiens Draft Order Set For 2025 NHL Entry Draft
Believe it or not, the Islanders are also interested Bergevin, though there’s a chance he may end up replacing Rob Blake in Los Angeles. This is not the first time Bergevin’s name has been mentioned as a potential GM hire. The Columbus Blue Jackets also considered hiring Bergevin, but opted to hire Don Waddell in his stead.
On some #Isles items swirling around:
— As of now Ken Holland is top choice
— Contact made with MTL for permission to speak to Jeff Gorton
— Marc Bergevin in the mix for #Isles/LAK jobs
— Have not heard much on Kekäläinen/Chiarelli
— This may all change in an hour— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) May 6, 2025
Update: Pierre LeBrun also suggests it’s not worth worrying about, as the Canadiens are intent on keeping Gorton in place.
Please stay Jeff! You need to at least once finish what you started. You’re no spring chicken. You’re 2-3 years away from building something special with stable, hands free ownership.
I assume it’s Molson who decides whether the Isles can talk to Gorton. I wish he’d release a statement that says “No chance we’re letting this guy talk to anybody.” to put the chatter emphatically to rest.
What’s with this “I’d like permission to speak with an employee of yours who is under a long term contact with your organization, but I want him, so can I try to pry him away from you” nonsense? Geez-Us. Who do these outfits think they are? Maybe respect the legal obligations of other organizations and do some actual work to find a decent replacement. Arrogance knows no bounds.