Canadiens Rumors: Montreal Planning Big Move With Jeff Gorton & Kent Hughes

The Montreal Canadiens are looking to lock down the architects of their rebuild. 

According to TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, the team has opened contract extension talks with executive vice president Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes. 

The timing makes sense after Montreal’s surprise playoff berth last season (their first since 2021), which capped off a rapid rise from the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

According to multiple sources, the Canadiens are in talks to extend Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes contracts.

— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 15, 2025

Gorton and Hughes fueling the Canadiens’ resurgence

Gorton, who joined the Canadiens in 2021, is entering the final year of his reported five-year deal. Hughes, hired in 2022, is signed through the 2026-27 season but is already being considered for a new pact. 

Together, the pair has transformed Montreal’s roster with some bold trades, savvy drafting, and really committing to a youth movement. Their moves have delivered an exciting core that includes Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and 2024 fifth-overall pick Ivan Demidov.

How would you rate Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s job so far on 10? pic.twitter.com/nSusLCobey

— HFTV (@HFTVSports) September 15, 2025

This past offseason, the front office doubled down by acquiring defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and forward Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues. Dobson signed an eight-year, $76 million extension immediately after the trade.

Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images