MONTREAL | “When I was younger, I dreamed of playing here. But becoming the general manager of the Canadian is the second best option. »
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Kent Hughes launched this little sentence at the end of his first press conference in the seat of DG of CH. As a child, he imagined himself on the ice at the Montreal Forum, like many children from Beaconsfield, his birthplace.
At 51, the former players’ agent finally set foot on his dream team rink, but there was a carpet under his feet. And he found himself at the Bell Center, a few kilometers from the mythical Forum.
Hughes answered reporters’ questions in a setting far different from that of the usual conference room. For the occasion, and to facilitate social distancing, we placed a table in the territory where the Habs attack twice per game and the scribes met in section 119. To embellish the scene, we also lowered the huge giant screen to leave the team logo in the background.
Hughes was therefore at the center of Jeff Gorton and Geoff Molson. If the decor was successful, Hughes also demonstrated with great aplomb that he still expresses himself very well in the language of Guy Lafleur even though he has lived in the Boston area for several years.
“It’s a homecoming for me, he said from the outset. I accept this role with great pride, it’s the team of my childhood. For a guy from here, being the GM of the Canadiens is the opportunity of a lifetime. Montreal remains for me the biggest city of hockey, there is an unparalleled passion of fans. »
- Listen to Mario Dumont’s interview with Jean-François Chaumont on QUB Radio:
The Yankees or the Cowboys
Before saying yes to Gorton and Molson’s proposal, Hughes got a call from Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin.
“Bill called me to tell me about my decision. He told me that the Canadian is the New York Yankees or the Dallas Cowboys. Come on, it’s not a complicated choice. »
More than an hour after the formal conference, Hughes was still giving interviews for television or radio.
“On the first day, we still love you, replied the former agent of Patrice Bergeron and Kristopher Letang. I hope there will still be this same feeling in five years! »
In a quick interview with the Journal, Hughes spoke again of his finest moments in the shoes of a young supporter of the CH.
“I think back to the 1970s, I was born in 70. I remember that the Canadian won all the time (6 conquests during this decade). It was the team of Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, Steve Shutt. I still have these teams at heart and it’s been 50 years now. The CH also had a very exciting style of play. I had the chance to often go to the Forum with my father or friends. I was living special moments, father and son. You never forget that. »
Screenshot, TVA Sports
Lou’s model
In his career as an agent, Hughes has worked with a host of NHL GMs. He’s spent enough time on the other side of the table to analyze the strengths of top GMs.
“The best GMs always have a plan and they have the patience not to react in the short term,” he explained. They have a vision for the organization. They work as a team and they have a good eye for recognizing talent. »
“I also have the chance to work with 31 other teams in my experience as an agent. I have seen many things. I talked to several of my clients, not just about their game. I was curious to know how the organizations worked. I have plans. »
Hughes identified the man described as the godfather of NHL GMs as a role model.
“I don’t like to say just one person, but I have always loved and respected Lou Lamoriello, he replied during his discussion with the Journal. When I was negotiating a contract with him, we talked about numbers for 15 minutes, but the conversation lasted two hours. He always liked to tell stories. I’ve always loved the fact that Lou is looking to build a family. In a world where there is so much pressure, it is essential to feel that you belong to a family. »
A word to define
In the coming weeks, Hughes will have a lot of work ahead of him to put the Canadiens back on the right track. On his second day in his new position, he remained rather vague about the possibility of embarking on a reconstruction.
“Word choice is not important to me. Rebuild, retool or reset. You have to build a team that can win in the future. I don’t want it to be for a year or two years. I’m looking to build a team that will be competitive over the long term. »