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Here we are, yet again, with a brand new edition of the THN Hot Seat, an ongoing series of THN.com columns where we single out a member of every NHL franchise who’ll be under huge amounts of pressure in 2022-23. season. The person we choose as being on the Hot Seat this year will be an NHL player, GM, team owner, or head coach, GM, or franchise owner. In this edition, we’re examining the Montreal Canadiens.
CANADIENS HOT SEAT: KENT HUGHES, GENERAL MANAGER
WHY: Let’s face it – as it is in every hockey mecca/fishbowl, there’s pressure on every player, coach and executive in Montreal, regardless of the season. Canadiens fans want to see some consistent inkling of progress from the franchise as a whole, or their dissatisfaction will quickly bubble to the surface. Those lofty expectations are what you should want out of your fan base; The last thing you want to see is apathy from your customers.
That said, there’s a reason why it’s usually either feast or famine when it comes to Montreal’s GMs. If you do have success – even if it’s not quite Stanley Cup-championship-level success – you’re revered, the way Serge Savard is for being the architect of the Habs’ most recent Cup-winning roster, or the way Bob Gainey did it. Montrealers secure they had a brilliant hockey mind running things for seven years. At the other end of the Canadiens’ spectrum are former GMs Rejean Houle and Andre Savard; between them, they managed only four playoff appearances in a combined nine seasons between 1995-2003, and even then, they only got out of the first round twice, with just two combined wins in those two second-round series.
Heck, if there’s an embodiment of the roller-coaster existence of being a GM in Montreal, it’s Kent Hughes’ predecessor, Marc Bergevin. He lasted nine years in the top spot in management, partially because his teams made six playoff appearances, including their recent, stunning run to the Cup Final in 2001. But not even that memorable post-season could save Bergevin from the unemployment line last year. when the Canadiens cratered so spectacularly. He was fired, just like that, and by the time he left, few people spoke out as his defenders.
And now, longtime NHL player agent Hughes is the new hockey mind in power in Montreal. He hasn’t wasted time in remaking the Habs’ lineup, including moving veterans Ben Chiarot, Arturri Lehkonen and Alex Romanov, and the hefty contract of injured star defenseman Shea Weber, and bringing in draft picks, young players including former Blackhawks center Kirby Dach , and veterans he likely will flip this coming season (including forward Evgeni Dadonov and former Penguins blueliner Michael Matheson) for more prospects and assets.
Canadiens ownership must give Hughes a decent stretch of time to implement his vision for the team, but again, we’re talking about Montreal here – if the Habs stick around the basement of the entire league again in 2022-23, there will be skeptics. about Hughes’ ability to do the job, and his intent on hopefully landing superstar prospect Conor Bedard. Hughes currently has five first-round picks in the next three seasons, and he’s got to make them count. He’s currently got the makings of a strong core, but there are serious depth of talent issues, and that’s going to be Hughes’ primary focus.
Even with a full year under head coach Martin St. Louis and Hughes, the Canadiens are going to likely finish at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. The status of star goalie Carey Price – now presumed not to be available for the season to come, and possibly, for good – probably won’t make a difference in the standings. The team in front of Price simply isn’t good enough to deliver wins consistently. It is up to Hughes to demonstrate that his way is the right way. He’s the one ultimately under the microscope here.
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