Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin met with the francophone members of Montreal’s media in New York after signing a contract extension through 2022.
Here are his comments translated:
On how the length of his new deal might affect his outlook
“Whether it’s a one-year or five-year contract, I’ll always manage the hockey club for the future and the present. I’m never doing things to help the team immediately that might hurt us long-term. For me [my new contract] changes nothing. I’m not the kind of person that would’ve ever made a deal to save my job.”
On staying with Montreal from 2012-2022 after bouncing around so much as a player
“If I make it to ten years with the Canadiens, that would be interesting. It would be fun. Stability is important not only for myself, but for the team. And I think Geoff [Molson] — in his statement this morning — made it clear it’s important to him, too. For me, it sends the right message to our players, our young ones that our organization is loyal. It sends a message to all of our fans that stability is something we want so that we can eventually bring good results to Montreal.”
What makes Bergevin most proud of his work with Montreal?
“The day I arrived here, the team had just come off a difficult season for several reasons — I know injuries played a big part in that. But we, with Michel [Therrien], brought stability. Stablity in the way we perform; there was a lot of stability in our wins and in the way we approach the apprenticeship of our young players. That’s what makes me most proud.”
On his management team
“Team work is all about Rick Dudley’s, Larry Carriere’s, Scott Mellanby’s, Trevor Timmins’ and Martin Lapointe’s. It’s impossible for a GM to be everywhere at once and make decisions based on things you’re not present for. I want to thank those people. I’ve probably spent 90 per cent of my time with the team; the things that happen on the outside of Montreal — I have my scouts working all the time, Vaughn Karpan who makes decisions with me. It’s very important and I’m here today because of them.”
What’s more stressful, negotiating a player’s contract or his own?
“It’s less stressful negotiating a player’s contract than my own because talking about myself isn’t really fun.”
How does he feel?
“I would say I’m a happy person today.”
Did anyone reach out to congratulate him?
“I got a lot of congratulatory messages from other GMs today.”
On the evolution of his relationships around the NHL
“I have a closer relationship, a more professional relationship with the other GMs. There were some GMs I had never spoken to, but over the course of the last three or four years, I learned a lot about the way they run their respective situations. Every team deals with different situations that you can learn from. I often have good conversations with them and it helps me learn in my position.”
