THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens have named former NHL defenceman Marc Bergevin their new general manager.
The club announced that the 46-year-old Montreal native will be introduced at a news conference Wednesday afternoon at the team’s suburban training centre.
Canadiens press conference: Sportsnet.ca presents live coverage as the Canadiens announce Marc Bergevin as their next GM. | Watch it live at 2 p.m. ET.
He replaces Pierre Gauthier, who was fired on March 29 with five games left in the regular season.
Team president Geoff Molson named former Canadiens GM Serge Savard to head a search committee to find Gauthier’s successor. Several NHL people were interviewed, including broadcaster Pierre McGuire who reports said was called by Molson and told he was runner-up to Bergevin for the job.
Bergevin retired as a player in 2004 and moved into the Chicago Blackhawks front office. He served as a pro scout before he was named director of player personnel in 2009.
He was named assistant GM to Stan Bowman in Chicago last June after Kevin Cheveldayoff left to become GM of the Winnipeg Jets.
"While it is never easy to lose someone of Marc Bergevin’s calibre, both professionally and personally, it is a tremendous opportunity for him and his family," Bowman said in a statement. "He has played a significant role in our success over the last several years as a member of the front office and coaching staff, and his roots in Chicago stretch to 1983 when he was drafted by the Blackhawks.
"I want to personally thank him for his dedication to our organization and certainly wish him all the best in Montreal."
Bergevin faces some tough decisions in Montreal, which missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007 after an injury-plagued season. The first may be what to do with Scott Gomez and his annual US$7.3-million salary cap hit. Some feel the underperforming centre should either be bought out or banished to the minor leagues.
The team also needs to decide on whether to keep interim coach Randy Cunneyworth, deal with the contract status of young players including Carey Price and P.K. Subban, and prepare for the NHL draft in June.
Cunneyworth was under fire for his inability to speak French after he was promoted to interim coach mid-season to replace the fired Jacques Martin.
As a player, Bergevin was a dependable stay-at-home defenceman known as a popular teammate and avid practical joker.
He was drafted 59th overall by Chicago in 1985 and later played for the New York Islanders, Hartford, Tampa Bay, Detroit, St. Louis and Pittsburgh before ending his career playing nine games for the Vancouver Canucks in 2003-04.
He had 36 goals and 145 assists in 1,191 NHL games.
He grew up in the Pointe St. Charles district of Montreal and was a childhood friend and teammate of superstar Mario Lemieux, now owner of the Penguins.
One day after Lemieux came out of retirement on Dec. 27, 2000, the Penguins brought in Bergevin in a trade with St. Louis, although Lemieux insisted GM Craig Patrick made that deal on his own.
During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Bergevin served as coach of a team of NHL stars put together by agents Pat Brisson and J.P. Barry that toured Europe.
Otherwise, the married father of three has kept a low profile since his playing days and little is known of his management style or ideas.
Reaction to the move from his former teammates on Twitter was enthusiastic.
"Bergevin is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had and for sure he was one of the most liked and respected guys in the game," former Blue Kelly Chase wrote.
"His sense of humour will help in the meat grinder of being GM in MTL," added Wes Walz.
Former enforcer Georges Laraque wrote that it was "a good choice and not because he speaks French."
