HuGo's Organizational Revamp

[alfredoh2009]

5 hours ago, tomh009 said:

Transforming or restructuring an organization does not need to (and arguably should not) mean firing everybody. What it should mean is assessing the team that is in place, and evaluating them (fairly!) to determine whether they are capable of doing what is expected of them. Having been hired by the previous GM should not, in and of itself, damn anyone in the organization.

it is human nature, as you see now: some are retiring, some are leaving on their own, some contracts will not be renewed.

Bergevin built the team around Price. Hugh-Gort has to restructure the team differently and get the people he believes will get him there

Rockstrom has been wanting to retire for a while, Richardson would have never been considered for a head coach job in Montreal, Lapointe is an old school “fox hole” Bergevin guy

 

… time will tell

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I think expecting Hugh-Gort to deliver on “organizational excellence” after a few months is unreasonable.

 

They are restructuring a complex, multi-million-dollar organization and rebuilding the team on the ice. That will take time. Years, in fact.

 

What evidence we have so far is promising. Their asset management has so far been good, flipping vets for promising young pieces. Their one move that I initially found dubious - hiring MSL - seemed to come up trumps. And I fail to see how they “mishandled” the goalie situation.

 

Cautious optimism seems warranted. At the very least, a neutral attitude that says we just don’t have enough evidence of a body of work to come to an assessment on their performance. But negativity or hostility toward them seems completely without foundation. They haven’t made any mistakes yet.

[alfredoh2009]

13 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I think expecting Hugh-Gort to deliver on “organizational excellence” after a few months is unreasonable.

 

They are restructuring a complex, multi-million-dollar organization and rebuilding the team on the ice. That will take time. Years, in fact.

 

What evidence we have so far is promising. Their asset management has so far been good, flipping vets for promising young pieces. Their one move that I initially found dubious - hiring MSL - seemed to come up trumps. And I fail to see how they “mishandled” the goalie situation.

 

Cautious optimism seems warranted. At the very least, a neutral attitude that says we just don’t have enough evidence of a body of work to come to an assessment on their performance. But negativity or hostility toward them seems completely without foundation. They haven’t made any mistakes yet.

that is my point (if you read higher up this thread) we have to wait 3,4 years to get a sense in how the changes may start to show their effect and there after see how the team performs

 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

2 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

that is my point (if you read higher up this thread) we have to wait 3,4 years to get a sense in how the changes may start to show their effect and there after see how the team performs

 

 

Right, a commendable attitude, but you tend to muddy the waters when you position yourself as “very critical” of them. That implies that you have a beef with their work so far. But you don’t…you just think it’s too soon to tell. And that’s fair enough, but you could avoid confusion by not writing as though you have a problem with them. Neutrality is not the same as criticism.

[alfredoh2009]

11 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Right, a commendable attitude, but you tend to muddy the waters when you position yourself as “very critical” of them. That implies that you have a beef with their work so far. But you don’t…you just think it’s too soon to tell. And that’s fair enough, but you could avoid confusion by not writing as though you have a problem with them. Neutrality is not the same as criticism.

 

I question a lot, that is my nature. It annoys people and family, but that is whom I am.

 

when ever I've raised questions about Hugh-Gort's moves, I've been told I am unreasonable and negative, attacking them.

 

So, I may have confused some in saying I am very critical. wrong qualifiers... got it.

 

I am still undecided if the changes so far are the right path to a Stanley cup. It is progress, and it has yielded some results. Like me trying on a new recipe, add some salt, try some cinnamon on soup and go: "hey that smells interesting, it looks like a winner"... that is not how I would become a world renown chef.

 

I want the Habs to win a cup, as promised

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

13 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

 

I question a lot, that is my nature. It annoys people and family, but that is whom I am.

 

when ever I've raised questions about Hugh-Gort's moves, I've been told I am unreasonable and negative, attacking them.

 

So, I may have confused some in saying I am very critical. wrong qualifiers... got it.

 

I am still undecided if the changes so far are the right path to a Stanley cup. It is progress, and it has yielded some results. Like me trying on a new recipe, add some salt, try some cinnamon on soup and go: "hey that smells interesting, it looks like a winner"... that is not how I would become a world renown chef.

 

I want the Habs to win a cup, as promised

 

There is nothing wrong with questioning but I get the feeling you get take the opposite point of view sometimes just for the sake of being different.  Sometimes the consensus point of view is right, sometimes it is wrong. 

 

If you think there is a better path to the Stanley Cup than rebuilding with young talent then I would like to hear what that other path may be?

[alfredoh2009]

1 hour ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

There is nothing wrong with questioning but I get the feeling you get take the opposite point of view sometimes just for the sake of being different.  Sometimes the consensus point of view is right, sometimes it is wrong. 

 

If you think there is a better path to the Stanley Cup than rebuilding with young talent then I would like to hear what that other path may be?

 

no, I am not a contrarian for the sake of being a contrarian

 

and I post often on what I think I would do

[dlbalr]

The Habs are expected to add Albie O'Connell to their amateur scouting staff: https://theathletic.com/3411092/2022/07/08/canadiens-nhl-draft-tomas-tatar-juraj-slafkovsky

[GHT120]

 

 

 

[dlbalr]

Billy Ryan has been added as Director of Player Evaluation: https://theathletic.com/3466246/2022/08/01/basu-godin-dach-suzuki-contracts-nhl

 

David MacLean (pro scout) and Bobby Kinsella (amateur scout) have moved on.  No other additions are expected on the amateur scouting side beyond Ryan and McConnell.

[GHT120]

Don't know anything about this guy, but apparently the build-out continues

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

27 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

Don't know anything about this guy, but apparently the build-out continues

 

I like more eyes on more players so great to add a scout but what does a football guy know about hockey?

[GHT120]

7 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

I like more eyes on more players so great to add a scout but what does a football guy know about hockey?

 

LOL ... they are a USHL team

[Prime Minister Koivu]

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

LOL ... they are a USHL team

Well that makes more sense LOL

[GHT120]

 

 Listened to enough of the podcast to confirm that Gorton said this ... nothing was said as to the role Clark will fill.

 

[DON]

"Gorton joined Canadiens alumni Chris “Knuckles” Nilan on The Raw Knuckles Podcast, where he spent a lot of time talking about his experience as the general manager of the rebuilding New York Rangers."

https://montrealhockeynow.com/2022/09/29/jeff-gorton-breaks-down-the-canadiens-organizational-needs/

 

Coaching

https://montrealhockeynow.com/2022/09/29/martin-st-louis-doubles-down-on-new-coaching-philosophy/

[DON]

How long will the honeymoon last?

 

https://theathletic.com/3667707/2022/10/07/canadiens-gm-kent-hughes-development-strategy/

"Canadiens are preparing to begin a season unlike any other in their recent history, having openly told their fans they don’t expect to be competitive. And those fans, for the most part, seem to have answered by giving Hughes a virtual high-five. It is exceptional to see the Canadiens operating under these circumstances..."

[GHT120]

27 minutes ago, DON said:

How long will the honeymoon last?

 

https://theathletic.com/3667707/2022/10/07/canadiens-gm-kent-hughes-development-strategy/

"Canadiens are preparing to begin a season unlike any other in their recent history, having openly told their fans they don’t expect to be competitive. And those fans, for the most part, seem to have answered by giving Hughes a virtual high-five. It is exceptional to see the Canadiens operating under these circumstances..."

 

For a very few it is already over, if it ever began ... for the majority, as long as their moves seem positive, "the path" is clear and the youngsters show progress.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

If the fan base can actually stay positive over 82 games of total suckage, I will be pleasantly surprised 

[alfredoh2009]

Gorton's one year anniversary at the helm of the Habs is today, and multiple media outlets are praising his tenure.

 

I went to check the NYR's chances to win a cup this year, to see what is the likelihood the Habs have found the mythical GM (or half of the GM two headed entity) that brings the 25th cup to Montreal.

 

Why do I feel underwhelmed?

Am I too pessimistic and cynical?

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

12 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

 

Am I too pessimistic and cynical?

 

 

YES!

 

[tomh009]

The Athletic's story today talked about three hires that Gorton has made, picking people without conventional experience in the same job, and potentially finding people with fresh ideas and points of view: Hughes, St-Louis and Gordie Clark (now on the professional scouting team).

 

Interestingly, Gorton tried to hire Hughes in NY already, and also tried to hire St-Louis to coach their AHL team. Neither was willing to take the offer back then, which is probably a good thing for the Habs.

[alfredoh2009]

21 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

YES!

 

 

The day the Habs win the 25th cup, I will accept that I was wrong. Until then, I will applaud every good move (Dach) by Hugh-Gort and criticize any bad move (nit picking here: keeping Slafkovsky at NHL level)

[alfredoh2009]

17 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

The Athletic's story today talked about three hires that Gorton has made, picking people without conventional experience in the same job, and potentially finding people with fresh ideas and points of view: Hughes, St-Louis and Gordie Clark (now on the professional scouting team).

 

Interestingly, Gorton tried to hire Hughes in NY already, and also tried to hire St-Louis to coach their AHL team. Neither was willing to take the offer back then, which is probably a good thing for the Habs.

 

yes, I read it. The scout was news, Hughes and St-Louis we already knew. Analytics and player development were not in the article but those are positives. I do not like how little he is (they are) paying attention to the AHL. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/stu-cowan-chris-nilan-takes-canadiens-young-guns-under-his-wing?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1669658351

 

This could easily go in the “Where are they Now” thread - certainly the anecdote about Knuckles threatening to beat the sh*t out of any rookie who didn’t give their all to get Gainey and Robinson another Cup in 1986 is priceless - but the article is relevant to the Revamp because it suggests that a cultural shift is taking place:

 

Nilan inviting Harris and Xhekaj to his home for dinner is another example of how the Canadiens’ alumni has reconnected with the team since GM Marc Bergevin was fired one year ago Monday and Jeff Gorton was named executive vice-president of hockey operations, later hiring Kent Hughes as GM and Martin St. Louis as head coach.

 

In July, Canadiens owner/president Geoff Molson announced that Nilan had been added as one of four new team ambassadors — along with Guy Carbonneau, Vincent Damphousse and Patrice Brisebois — to join Yvan Cournoyer and Réjean Houle.

 

During Bergevin’s 10 years as GM, the Canadiens’ alumni felt like they were shunned.