The Montréal Canadiens have been enduring a rough season, especially after the optimism of last year’s Stanley Cup Final run. There are plenty of changes for the Montreal Canadiens coming up, but what exactly they will be is unknown just yet. The only certainty thus far is the resignation of assistant general manager Scott Mellanby.
Very intriguing situation in Montreal. We know Scott Mellanby is out. He resigned. We know there’s interest in Jeff Gorton. Geoff Molson is running point on this and it’s believed, Gorton is targeted for a very substantial hockey operations position.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 28, 2021
Mellanby Resigns; Other Changes For Montreal Canadiens Coming
Mellanby has been the assistant GM in Montreal since 2014. He was promoted to the position after two years as the director of player personnel. It wasn’t his first administration job in the NHL, spending three years in Vancouver as a special assistant to then-GM Mike Gillis. After two seasons behind the bench in St. Louis, he took the opportunity offered by the Canadiens.
Mellanby’s playing career included over 1400 NHL games with the distinction of being the last player to score four power-play goals in one game. He captained the Atlanta Thrashers to their only playoff appearance before retiring in 2007.
His resignation comes as current general manager Marc Bergevin is in the final year of his contract. With rumours abounding in regards to the search for a replacement, it seems unlikely he’ll last the season.
With Geoff Molson receiving permission to talk to Jeff Gorton, I’m assuming that’s for a president of hockey job in mind if indeed it goes that way. I’m not assuming anything at this point.
Also, how long does Molson keep Marc Bergevin in a lame duck situation as GM?— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 28, 2021
From Blueshirt to Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge
The name that is coming up most frequently is former New York Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton. Gorton was lauded for rebuilding the New York team as they fell from a perennial contender to out of the playoff race. His firing in May of this year – alongside team president John Davidson – was a shock. That he is still available to teams looking for a change is also something of a surprise, and one the Canadiens should be looking to take advantage of.
Partially at issue is exactly what role Gorton would play. If it’s not for general manager, then it could well be for the person who fires the general manager.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1464742773760929796
And if that’s the case, then Bergevin’s end seems inevitable. But it may not be until the end of the year.
Who Goes There
What this changes for Montreal is not just the possible removal of Bergevin, but the definite loss of Mellanby.
Hearing that Scott Mellanby had extensive talks with Habs owner Geoff Molson at first about becoming GM, then that changed to perhaps becoming president of hockey operations. But he was told yesterday he was out of the running. So he resigned today.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 28, 2021
Clearly, he was expecting more from the team – whether it was promised or implied – and now joins the rumour mill himself. There are teams, the Vancouver Canucks most notably, who are actively searching for some job position candidates. He’s not going to be a candidate for an entry-level position, clearly. You don’t leave a job as an assistant general manager to be a scout. That’s the job you take when you’ve been fired as an assistant general manager.
Whether Mellanby decides to return to hockey immediately or take some time off is going to be his call. There are few jobs as the Top Dog in professional sports, but he can likely take his time finding one.
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