Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin hasn't earned a contract extension

Before bringing back a GM who has only had poor results in his nine years in Montreal, owner Geoff Molson should demand playoff success.

said Friedman, one of Canada's most dialled-in hockey insiders.

This is bad news for Canadiens fans if this storey is accurate, and there's no reason to doubt it. I'm not suggesting Molson fire Bergevin at the end of the season. But, if he's talking to his GM about his future before the season is over, I'm guessing Molson is thinking about offering him a contract extension, maybe even before the playoffs.

Bergevin has a track record of making excellent deals, especially in the last few years. But he clearly lacks the ability to envision how to construct a winning NHL team.

This season is a great example of that. His off-season acquisitions were excellent. Consider how this season would be different if Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson, and Corey Perry weren't on the team. Without these gentlemen, the CH would be a basement dweller.

However, none of the offers made a difference. Montreal was 18th in the league on Monday afternoon, with two games remaining, clinging to the last playoff spot in the North Division. Last year, the team finished 24th in the COVID-19 bubble playoffs and advanced to the play-in round.

He should not be complacent and stick with the old man simply because he is familiar with him. He should be ecstatic about it. He should understand that the best path forward is to create a new management structure under which he elevates himself to president of the Groupe CH rather than president of the Montreal Canadiens.