A year later, the legacy of Marc Bergevin

On November 28, 2021, the Montreal Canadiens make an important decision: general manager Marc Bergevin will be relieved of his duties after more than ten years as the “architect” of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.

A year later, the hockey player’s legacy is paying off big, big for the Habs, to say the least.

After Marc Bergevin’s tenure ended on a rather negative note, many retain the bitter taste of his reign.

However, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, Josh Anderson, Joel Edmundson, Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault and Jake Evans are all in their decade with Sainte-Flanelle.

Without taking anything away from the new Montreal guard masterfully directed by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, among others, the brilliant acquisition of Sean Monahan, the daring operation of Jeff Petry or Kirby Dach with his squeaky file management, his future. CH will pass and go through a lot of jewelry signed by Marc Bergevin.

Finally, the first center

Nick Suzuki is undoubtedly the Quebecer’s main legacy. The former first-round pick, 13th overall of the Vegas Golden Knights, acquired for the services of Max Pacioretty, became the youngest captain in the Canadiens’ storied history earlier this summer. Suzuki, just 23 years old, has made a name for himself on the ice with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 21 games since the start of the campaign despite his new role as captain and an eight-year, $63-year start. million contracts. Finally, there is a true “first center” worthy of the organization’s name.

40 goal scorer?

The selection of Cole Caufield in the 15th round of the 2019 auction is arguably the best catch to come out of the previous draft. The American has a unique talent, he masters the art of scoring goals. PK Subban is rocking the Bell Center as fans call him “Purpose Caufield,” and that’s saying something. In addition to his showmanship, the 21-year-old winger ranks among the elite of the Bettman circuit with 12 goals (including 8 equalizers in crucial situations) and 9 assists in 21 games this season. His signature shooting, paired with the vision of a certain Nick Suzuki, is causing headaches for many National Hockey League (NHL) teams.

Young…veteran

Many questioned the selection of Kaiden Guhle, the 16th overall pick in the 2020 draft, even though talented products from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (MLHC) were still available, in the form of Hendrix Lapierre, Mavrik Bourque and Dawson Mercer. In his first steps with the Habs, the young Guhle not only scored 8 points in 21 games, but also his maturity on the ice, his ability to match up against the top three and his impressive mobility. impressive size. Bolder draw parallels with former captain Shea Weber, but one thing is for sure, the young defender has exceeded expectations this new season and contributed significantly to the club’s recent success.

Arber Xhekaj find

Arber Xhekaj, who never made it to the NHL, even in the minor ranks, has had an extraordinary career. In his first pro season, the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder made quite the surprise by joining the St.Louis lineup. The stalwart back makes his mark with a style of play, competitive spirit and athleticism that has become increasingly rare in the Bettman era. leadership coming out of the initiative to defend his teammates. In other words, the vindicator plays an important role in the locker room where the chemistry seems to work, and this in the context of “rebuilding.”

nothing perfect

To date, no Bettman Tour general manager has had an unblemished track record. Of course, Marc Bergevin’s legacy also has its fair share of action. There was the Jeff Petry case. Otherwise, onerous contracts are the main burden incumbents have to deal with.