11/28/21 | 10:34AM: Darren Dreger says that “all signs indicate” that Jeff Gorton will be leading Hockey Ops for Montreal.
11/27/21 | 8:10PM: Darren Dreger says that Gorton is being targeted for a “very substantial hockey operations position.”
Pierre LeBrun says that Mellanby resigned after conversations first about becoming GM and then President of Hockey Ops and then being told he wasn’t getting the positions. (LeBrun)
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7:40PM: The Montreal Canadiens have been granted permission to speak with former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton. (Friedman)
Elliotte Friedman says that it is not for the Montreal GM job,
“but another role.” (Friedman)
Montreal’s assistant GM Scott Mellanby just resigned and current GM Marc Bergevin is in the final year of his contract.
Chicago and Anaheim both have vacant GM positions.
Adam Rotter: Montreal is the most unique GM position in the NHL because you need to also speak French. I’m not sure if Jeff Gorton speaks French, but my guess is that this is just a consultant-type of role to give the Canadiens another perspective as they go through an awful season. It also gives Gorton a chance to get back into a team role as he looks to ultimately become a GM again.
Gorton is extremely well thought of around the NHL for how he tore down and rebuilt the Rangers. I think he’s been pretty good as an analyst on the NHL Network and is certainly a must watch when he speaks about the Rangers.
He could certainly come in as a possible President of Hockey Ops, but, again, it would seem like that kind of role in Montreal would also go to someone who spoke French. It also seemed like Gorton wanted to get back in at the GM level and get back to handling day to day things, as opposed to overseeing things as President, but I’m also not sure you turn down the opportunity to become President of Hockey Ops of the Montreal Canadiens.