The Montreal Canadiens have announced the signing of general manager Kent Hughes and hockey operations executive Jeff Gorton to multi-year contract extensions. Gorton will be transitioning to the role of president of hockey operations as part of the new agreements. Both Hughes and Gorton, who were entering the final year of their contracts, have overseen a remarkable turnaround for the Canadiens. Despite a three-year playoff drought, the team made a successful return to the postseason last year.
The Canadiens have thrived under a young and talented core, featuring standouts like captain Nick Suzuki, promising rookie Ivan Demidov, and defenseman Lane Hutson, who was named Rookie of the Year last season and recently signed an eight-year, $70.8 million contract extension. Gorton, who previously served as general manager of the New York Rangers until May 2021, joined the Canadiens as executive vice-president of hockey operations in the same year. Hughes, a Montreal native, took on the role of GM in January 2022, swiftly making key decisions such as hiring a new head coach.
With a 2-1-0 record at the start of the 2025-26 season, the Canadiens are gearing up for their home opener against Seattle on Tuesday night.
