The Montreal Canadiens have announced that general manager Kent Hughes and hockey operations executive Jeff Gorton have signed multi-year contract extensions. Gorton will transition into the role of president of hockey operations in this new agreement. Both Hughes and Gorton were nearing the end of their existing contracts.
Under the leadership of Hughes and Gorton, the Canadiens have experienced a notable turnaround, surpassing expectations by making a return to the playoffs last season after a three-year absence. The team’s success has been attributed to a talented young core featuring players like captain Nick Suzuki, promising rookie Ivan Demidov, and standout defenseman Lane Hutson, who recently inked a lucrative eight-year, $70.8 million contract extension after being named rookie of the year last season.
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 later that year. Hughes, a Montreal native, took on the role of GM in January 2022 and wasted no time in hiring a new head coach.
The Canadiens kicked off the 2025-26 season with a 2-1-0 record and were set to play their home opener against Seattle on Tuesday night.
