Habs GM: the candidate that everyone should seriously consider
The names of Mathieu Darche, Patrick Roy and Daniel Brière have been widely circulating in recent weeks in Montreal as serious candidates for the title of Habs general manager.
However, according to journalist François Gagnon, the name of Stéphane Quintal could be considered by the executive vice-president of hockey operations, Jeff Gorton.
According to him, Quintal would have been perfect in a president role, but he believes that a merger between Gorton and Quintal could be very beneficial for the organization.
"Personally, I associated Stéphane Quintal's candidacy much more with a president's role than with a general manager's role. To a role like the one Geoff Molson offered to Jeff Gorton that he brought over from New York.
"But the fact that Gorton is a player evaluation guru, that he's known as a scout much more than a hockey operations manager opens the door for a potential partnership with a guy like Quintal."
There is no doubt in the journalist's mind that Quintal would be more attractive to the Habs, than the other candidates mentioned above.
"In addition to being around Gary Bettman and Bill Daly in the day-to-day operations of the NHL in New York, Quintal has been around the NHL's general managers for years on a daily basis because of the suspensions and fines handed out to their players and the meetings that precede the imposition of those sanctions. He also interacts with the GMs in the day-to-day operations and major meetings between the league and its GMs.
"In his role in the player safety office, Quintal sees more games in a season than Jeff Gorton and all the other candidates who have been put forward so far in the search for the next Habs GM."
"This aspect of the job allows him to have a well-stocked notebook on every player in the NHL. Notes that could be very useful in the many analyses that the staff will have to multiply before concluding the many transactions that are announced in the near future of the Habs."
Gagnon has no idea if Quintal will be met by the Habs organization. However, the points he made are interesting and should be taken into consideration.
Quintal is literally immersed in hockey, working with the top brass of the NHL. He should not be overlooked.
