Kent Hughes spoke with the assurance of a general manager on his first public outing in front of the Canadiens fans. But the question remains: will he be responsible?
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
Impossible to answer this question for the moment. Only time will tell if he will exercise real decision-making power or if he will be the “glorified” assistant to Jeff Gorton, the team’s big hockey boss.
That said, Hughes made an excellent impression in that first contact with reporters. Let’s settle a crucial issue right away: his French is excellent and he passes the bilingualism test with flying colours. Beyond the language, he also clearly stated a draft of his vision. His desire to transform the Canadiens into a “very modern organization” seemed to me, for two reasons, the anchor of his remarks.
First, it confirms that Hughes is well aware of the shortcomings of the Canadiens, a hyper-conservative institution that seems to be lagging behind the upheavals in professional hockey. Its modest use of advanced statistics and the lack of efficiency of its recruitment system are proof of this.
Then, Hughes sends a strong message: the Canadian no longer wants to just follow the parade. The goal is to innovate and use industry best practices, especially in player evaluation.
The new CEO cited shocking phrases to reinforce his message, such as “character is a talent” and “familiarity brings knowledge”.
With simple and accurate words, he spoke of the need to create an environment where everyone in the organization will be heading in the same direction. We felt the seasoned manager for whom the atmosphere at work is an essential component of success.
It’s all refreshing. In fact, I haven’t heard a Canadian executive speak with such depth in a long time. I don’t doubt it for a moment: Hughes certainly made an impression during the interview process. The ability to communicate is a key asset in this type of exercise, and the Quebecer is clearly a champion in this regard.
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Having said all this, we must nevertheless look reality in the face. Hughes has very little experience to hold this key position in such a notorious organization.
Yes, his career as an agent is a success. But he never worked for a professional hockey team, never made a trade, never oversaw the recruiting industry, and never was the boss of a head coach. He was the advisor of many players, but was never their boss.
Kent Hughes will therefore make his classes with the Canadian. He may have a solid track record in the sport, but the step is very high.
I hope he likes the pressure, because it will be much stronger on him than on Gorton. Why ? Quite simply because the VP of hockey operations does not speak French and, therefore, will not be connected like Hughes on the mood of fans and the French-speaking media.
(We also had a symbolic moment during this press conference. Geoff Molson asked a journalist who asked him a question in French if he could answer in English to include Gorton in the conversation. getting used to it is the new reality of the Canadiens. Sorry if you disagree with me, but I see this as a setback.)
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For the past ten years, the Canadiens have been managed by Marc Bergevin, a former NHL defenseman. He surrounded himself with other former players, such as Rick Dudley and Scott Mellanby, who held important positions alongside him.
The entry on the scene of the Gorton-Hughes duo marks a brutal break with this recent past. Neither has played in the NHL. Their learning, their experiences, their successes and their failures are therefore very different. This will bring the Canadian a fresh perspective.
Given the enormous challenges facing the organization, this new approach is a good idea. Kudos to Geoff Molson for setting it up.
How will Gorton and Hughes work together? One thing is certain, they have known each other for a long time and appreciate each other. I don’t know if any of the other 10 people being considered for the GM job today feel that hiring Hughes was on the cards since Gorton took over and that they had no real chance. to be chosen. If so, I understand them for thinking so. Once Hughes declared himself willing to make the jump, the matter seemed settled.
Hughes also seemed irritated when my colleague Simon-Olivier Lorange rightly hounded Gorton on this subject. Hughes intervened in the exchange: “I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have confidence in my abilities to be the general manager of the Canadiens. He added that he had no doubt that Gorton was not the only one in favor of his appointment, with the other members of the selection committee sharing this opinion.
Beyond the substance of Hughes’ replies, I was especially impressed by his desire to place his arrival at the Canadiens within the parameters he believes are right. This shows a man alert, vigorous and concerned about defending his interests.
If Hughes shows the same qualities as general manager, the organization could rebound faster than expected. In this cut-throat environment, grit is key.
So good luck, Kent Hughes. I wish you happiness in your new position and success with the Canadiens. Above all, I hope that you will have the freedom to act.