Jeff Gorton Makes a Surprising Statement on the Canadiens' Next Steps
Photo credit: Montreal Gazette
Since the Montreal Canadiens began a rebuild with the hiring of Martin St-Louis, the team has never really had the opportunity to compete for the playoffs.
Indeed, the organization is potentially on track to select a player in the top-5 for a third consecutive year, thus demonstrating the difficulties encountered by the Montreal team in recent years. However, given that management has traded away several players to acquire draft picks and prospects, this trajectory was to be expected.
Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that the team could make a significant change in the direction it wants to take, starting as early as the 2024-2025 season. The eventual return of Kirby Dach, the arrival of several talented prospects in the lineup, as well as future moves by Kent Hughes could allow the Habs to possibly qualify for the spring dance.
Could the Canadiens Acquire Reinforcements Soon?
During his appearance on the podcast "The Sick Podcast: The Eye Test" hosted by Jimmy Murphy and Pierre McGuire, the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Montreal Canadiens, Jeff Gorton, made a very interesting statement about what's happening behind the scenes of the organization.
Indeed, he indicated that Martin St-Louis is fully involved in the process of assessing the team's needs and the right time to make a significant acquisition, whether through the free agent market or via a trade.
«Kent (Hughes), Martin (St-Louis), and I often discuss the right time to move to the next step, maybe a free agent, maybe a trade.» - Jeff Gorton
Clearly, the organization is starting to think about making a "push" to eventually participate in the playoffs. Moreover, it's really pleasant to see that Martin St-Louis is also part of these conversations, which is far from the norm in the NHL.
We are very pleased to see that the three men are working hand in hand to accelerate the rebuilding process undertaken by the organization.
Having already gone through a rebuild with the New York Rangers recently, Jeff Gorton fully knows what he needs to do to help the team reach another level. It's worth noting that he acquired Artemi Panarin to propel the organization to new heights.
Therefore, it wouldn't be surprising if he wanted to replicate this scenario with the Montreal Canadiens by acquiring a top forward in the near future.
«Jeff Gorton surprised no one this week by affirming his willingness to follow the model that brought him success with the New York Rangers.
However, is Gorton being realistic in wanting to repeat his approach in a market quite different from Montreal's?
The first two steps are quite similar in many ways. Gorton undertook a significant youth movement starting in 2017 with the Rangers by shedding many veterans to amass draft picks and prospects.» - Mathias Brunet
Imagine if the Tricolore adds a top-6 forward through the free agent market or via a trade, and Kent Hughes also selects a prospect like Ivan Demidov, Cayden Lindstrom, Cole Eiserman, or Berkly Catton, the Montreal attack would be completely transformed.
Expect a busy summer for the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge! Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes are tired of seeing the team accumulate losses, as they aim to return to the playoffs soon.
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24 MARS | 211 ANSWERS Jeff Gorton Makes a Surprising Statement on the Canadiens' Next Steps Do you think the Canadiens should make a splash in free agency? |
| Yes | 150 | 71.1 % |
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