News Article: Marchessault: “Franco or not, Montreal needs the best GM possible.”

[sandviper]

I think Rutherford simply wouldn't be a good hire for a team that has to think long term... And we certainly do.

Though if I somehow need a GM for a 2-year plan and the person being groomed is still, well, in grooming, Rutherford would make for a good stopgap.

Nothing against Rutherford, but he'll be 73 by the time the next playoffs start...

Rutherford wouldn’t had been my first choice, but he has done good things and I’d be confident he can do a quick overhaul, 2-year like you’ve said, and hand the reigns over. Sorta like Lou did for Toronto.

However, he’s not a spring chicken… I think he’s probably going to want to take it easy, but Lou is still going strong so who knows what JR wants?

 

[admiralcadillac]

Of course, they hire the well respected Gorton and it did not stop the witch hunt.

Whose witch hunt? I’m assuming you mean the endless droves of complaints here?

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Before thaty Gorton got the big job.....was any of those close in terms of being qualified for the job compare to Gorton?
Not even close, would take a decade for any of them to be on his level.....yet, the french names were everywhere and Gorton was nowhere and that's the problem

Gorton was without a doubt the best name for a GM right now , even tho he's named ''vp'' he's clearly the GM and the GM he will hire will be an assistant to start with.

Because if Gorton was not the GM , It makes no sense to hire him first. They could have hired a VP ops after hiring a GM.

 

[sandviper]

Gorton was without a doubt the best name for a GM right now , even tho he's named ''vp'' he's clearly the GM and the GM he will hire will be an assistant to start with.

Because if Gorton was not the GM , It makes no sense to hire him first. They could have hired a VP ops after hiring a GM.

It was discussed in another thread, and credit to @WeThreeKings who I think was the first to mention it, but the Raptors are a good franchise to mimic in terms of construction.

Our model can be similar where Gorton can be the architect like Ujiri and the next GM can be like Webster. Gorton will have the vision and he’ll need somebody to execute it.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

It was discussed in another thread, and credit to @WeThreeKings who I think was the first to mention it, but the Raptors are a good franchise to mimic in terms of construction.

Our model can be similar where Gorton can be the architect like Ujiri and the next GM can be like Webster. Gorton will have the vision and he’ll need somebody to execute it.

Exactly , you can easily tell that Molson wants a new way of thinking and a new approach and right now he took the best decision with Gorton. Perhaps it won't work in the future but I think he's very smart and has ton of experience and have connections all over the league , scouts , coaches , agents. This dude will make an entire new structure and will show the GM he picked , how to do it like Gorton does it. Raptors are probably the best indication with all this. NBA is different that NHL but it's a great start!

 

[sandviper]

Exactly , you can easily tell that Molson wants a new way of thinking and a new approach and right now he took the best decision with Gorton. Perhaps it won't work in the future but I think he's very smart and has ton of experience and have connections all over the league , scouts , coaches , agents. This dude will make an entire new structure and will show the GM he picked , how to do it like Gorton does it. Raptors are probably the best indication with all this. NBA is different that NHL but it's a great start!

Oh, yeah, NBA and NHL are two different animals but any team in any league can take a cue from the Raptors in how they build a structure and go from there.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Oh, yeah, NBA and NHL are two different animals but any team in any league can take a cue from the Raptors in how they build a structure and go from there.

100% agree with you on this.

 

[CHwest]

Yeah, it's almost like that user doesn't even realize he's doing EXACTLY that. And he'll keep denying he isn't.

Can you please show me where I ever said anything other than I wanted the best candidate? Didn't think so.

 

[Milhouse40]

Gorton was without a doubt the best name for a GM right now , even tho he's named ''vp'' he's clearly the GM and the GM he will hire will be an assistant to start with.

Because if Gorton was not the GM , It makes no sense to hire him first. They could have hired a VP ops after hiring a GM.

It's so funny how the medias got sucked into that one....and still are.
They are there all day long talking about who should be the GM....and they are there with their 3-4-5 candidates like Darche, Brière, Luongo and except maybe for Madden......these choices are actual jokes next to Gorton in terms of qualification to run a hockey team as GM.

But at least, it should put that person next-in line to get the big job eventually.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

It's so funny how the medias got sucked into that one....and still are.
They are there all day long talking about who should be the GM....and they are there with their 3-4-5 candidates like Darche, Brière, Luongo and except maybe for Madden......these choices are actual jokes next to Gorton in terms of qualification to run a hockey team as GM.

But at least, it should put that person next-in line to get the big job eventually.

Exactly. They think that Gorton will just ''watch our new gm'' they are so god damn naive lmao.
Even tho they will be puppets/assistants for atleast 3years+ , I would skip Roy , too emotive and hotheaded. Brière makes 0 sense. He has 0 nhl knowledge. Don't care if he went back to school. He needs to climb the ladder slowly to make it there
For Darche , it's way too early for him to be here. He's been what 60 games with Tampa Bay? That's literally nothign to learn. I also don't want him around the habs because they still are players from the time he was there , he will make emotive ''reactions into Gorton which I think is bad.
Luongo/Brodeur , did not really follow their path after their nhl careers but they are calm and winners .
As for Madden JR I don'T think he wants to be a GM. Perhaps an assistant GM with the role of head scout would fit him perfectly. I would throw money at him to come to Montreal. He would be under Gorton and the new GM and will continue to do what he loves. He even got a house around Montreal also.

Gorton should stay away from any lists made by medias. He probably doesnt give a shit because he doesnt speak french anyways.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Yes.

Mark Hunter
John Ferguson Jr.
Martin Madden Jr
Jeremy Rutherford
Kevin Weekes (I don't particularly like it, but highly regarded as a future GM)

All names I've mentioned here many, many times....and yes, there's a '' ti-gars d'chez nous'' in there but not because he's french but because he's qualified.

But right now. I don't care who's going the GM...

Gorton, who was a GM a couple of months ago and could have easily have another GM job elsewhere just took a long term contract with the Habs for being merely a consultant and work in administration?

It doesn't make me feel better, it's the reality.
And you can mark my word, the good things AND the failures, I will put 100% on him and him alone also.

so what's the fuss with the GM being bilingual then ? I mean, the GM is going to be a puppet anyway... right ?

 

[Runner77]

Gorton was without a doubt the best name for a GM right now , even tho he's named ''vp'' he's clearly the GM and the GM he will hire will be an assistant to start with.

Because if Gorton was not the GM , It makes no sense to hire him first. They could have hired a VP ops after hiring a GM.

I’d say it made sense to hire Gorton first and right away as he was the best hockey executive available regardless of language.

Hiring a GM was not as important since someone like Gorton can offer a stopgap until one is named. Much better to have Gorton recommend a GM than the gullible Serge — already the org. is further ahead than it was 9 years ago when the rookie GM that was named had to resort to depending on a Rick Dudley before he’d make any move.

I wouldn’t get too bogged down as to how responsibilities are going to be divided. I’m just happy Gorton is here.

 

[Milhouse40]

so what's the fuss with the GM being bilingual then ? I mean, the GM is going to be a puppet anyway... right ?

II've said 20 times here that I don't care who they pick as GM this time.
And I really, really don't care one bit.

The names I've put were names I used for the last 2 years here, not the ones I want to be name right now.

I got what I've been asking for a long time.
And It's not an anglophone in charge of the team, it's the best candidates possible in charge of the team.
Plain and simple.

And I don't see the GM as a puppet....I will see him as the one being groom within the organization for the future. Will learn from one of the best possible. Is that a bad thing? Or do you prefer a Darche, Briere, Quintal or Roy running the whole thing right away while having absolutely zero experience as GM or even as Assistant-GM in the NHL?

But let's get real here, the one they are going to hire will have around 10% of the experience Gorton have......only exception would be Madden who would be a lot closer but still far behind.

 

[sandviper]

Where did this whole idea of “puppet” come from? Will the GM report to Gorton? Yes. Will Gorton be making personnel decisions with the players, call GMs and make trades (in the long run), only to have his “puppet” explain to the media? No.

I’d like to think we’ll be setting up something like the Raptors with Ujiri and Webster. Difference, due to communications, the GM will need to do most of the public speaking. Otherwise, Gorton will give his vision, architect the team and the GM makes it all happen.

 

[Runner77]

Where did this whole idea of “puppet” come from? Will the GM report to Gorton? Yes. Will Gorton be making personnel decisions with the players, call GMs and make trades (in the long run), only to have his “puppet” explain to the media? No.

I’d like to think we’ll be setting up something like the Raptors with Ujiri and Webster. Difference, due to communications, the GM will need to do most of the public speaking. Otherwise, Gorton will give his vision, architect the team and the GM makes it all happen.

The puppet thing immediately came to life in several Franco media outlets the day an American Anglo was named to a high hockey executive position.

A prevailing argument was how Gorton would have been named GM and not VP if he were fluent in French.

Franco media recognized Gorton’s credentials but argued that the major commitment made to him and the fact that he’d choose the GM, meant that the GM would only have limited authority.

 

[sandviper]

The puppet thing immediately came to life in several Franco media outlets the day an American Anglo was named to a high hockey executive position.

A prevailing argument was how Gorton would have been named GM and not VP if he were fluent in French.

Franco media recognized Gorton’s credentials but argued that the major commitment made to him and the fact that he’d choose the GM, meant that the GM would only have limited authority.

Thanks. To be honest, I sorta suspected this but wasn’t 100%.

End of the day, I know this upcoming model the Habs are going with has worked for other teams. Whether it ends up being successful is another matter, but what we do know was that the old way didn’t work.

 

[sergejean]

Speaking of social climate... all I see here is anglophones who already hold 95% of executive positions in hockey saying that the Habs apparently cannot be successful until they hire only anglophones.

And yet the Habs with their supposedly lousy hirings have outperformed every other Canadian team in every performance indicator for the past 30 years.

The four western canadian teams have GMs born in western canada. The two ontario teams have GMs born in Ontario. The Canadiens cannot have a GM from Québec because that is wrong. Funny how that works. The (dwindling) francophone identity of this team is being made the scapegoat by anglophones who want another anglophone in charge.

Don't fool yourself though. A lot of the most vocal posters on this board and elsewhere are francophones.

 

[BLONG7]

32 HF hockey teams.............31 talk hockey................1 talks hockey, politics, and culture.
And you guys wonder, why GM's coaches, and players don't want to come to the Habs......
This is turning into a fiasco, and would think Gorton will be under the gun to make his choice sooner than later....the montreal media will drive this poor guy absolutely bonkers if he waits until the season is over.

 

[Runner77]

32 HF hockey teams.............31 talk hockey................1 talks hockey, politics, and culture.
And you guys wonder, why GM's coaches, and players don't want to come to the Habs......
This is turning into a fiasco, and would think Gorton will be under the gun to make his choice sooner than later....the montreal media will drive this poor guy absolutely bonkers if he waits until the season is over.

I’d assign body guards to him. Anyone who asks Gorton questions about language, gets pepper sprayed.

 

[WatchfulElm]

exactly , i could not have said it any better.
Best exhibit, is a 4th liner like paquette, he dont even belong in the ahl, yet they played him, and kept playing him, and scratch a young player to again play him. I wonder why?
French is great if we aim for the best french, not just anyone to appease the media.

Why don't you make a fuss about it when their names are Schlemko, King, Folin, Weise, Lernout, Froese or Logan Shaw?? But when their names are Paquette, it's "obviously" because of the language they speak and it really bothers you, right?

 

[WatchfulElm]

The puppet thing immediately came to life in several Franco media outlets the day an American Anglo was named to a high hockey executive position.

A prevailing argument was how Gorton would have been named GM and not VP if he were fluent in French.

Franco media recognized Gorton’s credentials but argued that the major commitment made to him and the fact that he’d choose the GM, meant that the GM would only have limited authority.

Funny because I've seen this "puppet" theory mostly in English medias like the Gazette the day Gorton was announced. I've seen it a few days after in French speaking outlet.

 

[Runner77]

Funny because I've seen this "puppet" theory mostly in English medias like the Gazette the day Gorton was announced. I've seen it a few days after in French speaking outlet.

It was a day long theme on 91.9 FM and later that day, 98.5 FM got into it as well.

 

[ECWHSWI]

II've said 20 times here that I don't care who they pick as GM this time.
And I really, really don't care one bit.

The names I've put were names I used for the last 2 years here, not the ones I want to be name right now.

I got what I've been asking for a long time.
And It's not an anglophone in charge of the team, it's the best candidates possible in charge of the team.
Plain and simple.

And I don't see the GM as a puppet....I will see him as the one being groom within the organization for the future. Will learn from one of the best possible. Is that a bad thing? Or do you prefer a Darche, Briere, Quintal or Roy running the whole thing right away while having absolutely zero experience as GM or even as Assistant-GM in the NHL?

But let's get real here, the one they are going to hire will have around 10% of the experience Gorton have......only exception would be Madden who would be a lot closer but still far behind.

You have a lot to say for someone who doesnt care one bit, you know'...

Gorton being an anglophone is a fact. Gorton being the best candidate is an opinion.

At the end of the day, the next GM will speak decent french, wether it's someone experienced or someone completely green does not change that fact. The team Pres speaking english only (like knowing only one language is a plus) does not change that fact either.


Personally, I think Molson isnt managing it well, he should do his hiring without mentionning language, that way french speaking fans have what they want with their french speaking GM, and english speaking fans get what they want with their new GM being the best available.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

I’d say it made sense to hire Gorton first and right away as he was the best hockey executive available regardless of language.

Hiring a GM was not as important since someone like Gorton can offer a stopgap until one is named. Much better to have Gorton recommend a GM than the gullible Serge — already the org. is further ahead than it was 9 years ago when the rookie GM that was named had to resort to depending on a Rick Dudley before he’d make any move.

I wouldn’t get too bogged down as to how responsibilities are going to be divided. I’m just happy Gorton is here.

Im just saying if Gorton was not gonna be a GM for atleast the first 2-3 years , They would have chosen another GM first.

 

[ECWHSWI]

32 HF hockey teams.............31 talk hockey................1 talks hockey, politics, and culture.
And you guys wonder, why GM's coaches, and players don't want to come to the Habs......
This is turning into a fiasco, and would think Gorton will be under the gun to make his choice sooner than later....the montreal media will drive this poor guy absolutely bonkers if he waits until the season is over.

31 ? are you sure ? do you really think TML hiring Ontario people at key position 99% of the time, it's just coincidence ?