BREAKING NEWS: Montreal Canadiens Announced The Departure Of Another Key Man As Clear-out Continues

The Montreal Canadiens’ rebuilding process is progressing well, with several important pieces already in place following a couple of years of losses.

Their top line, consisting of Nick Suzuki centering Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky, is emerging as a formidable trio despite their young ages. Suzuki, at 24, along with his 23-year-old and 19-year-old wingers, has maintained an impressive scoring rate over the past 20 games this season, almost averaging a point per game.

While the young defense occasionally faces challenges, they are largely developing into a solid unit, led by players like Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, and Jordan Harris. The potential of Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher, Logan Mailloux, and Justin Barron to become impactful NHL players further strengthens the defensive lineup, suggesting it only needs time to mature fully.

Jeff Gorton, serving as the team’s executive vice president of hockey operations since November 2021, has been instrumental in overseeing the Canadiens’ progress. Despite not being responsible for every acquisition, Gorton played a pivotal role in drafting Slafkovsky first overall and selecting Hutson in the second round. His collaboration with general manager Kent Hughes has been vital in navigating the rebuild phase.

As speculation builds…Not sure how the Canadiens would feel about this, but why wouldn’t CBJ call Montreal and ask permission to speak with Jeff Gorton? History with Davidson and a GM at heart. Geoff Molson might hang up, but is there harm in asking?

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 15, 2024

However, recent speculation suggests that Gorton might be pursued by the Columbus Blue Jackets, given his prior connection with their head, John Davidson. While such decisions take time, it’s worth noting the potential interest from the Blue Jackets as they seek to accelerate their own rebuilding process.

Yet, any potential move would represent a “demotion” in Gorton’s position, and Canadiens owner Geoff Molson holds the discretion to deny the Blue Jackets’ request to speak with him, thereby ending the speculation swiftly.

Given Gorton’s ties to Davidson, Canadiens fans should keep a close watch on the situation, hoping Molson will choose to maintain stability within the organization and reject any overtures from the Blue Jackets.