We just got another proof that Jeff Gorton is a genius as a manager

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Jeff Drouin
June 4, 2022 (1:16 PM)

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When the Canadiens announced the hiring of Jeff Gorton last November, the day before Marc Bergevin was fired, few people in Quebec knew about the former New York Rangers general manager.

Now that he is well established in Montreal as the Canadiens' vice-president of hockey operations, the team's fans are already looking forward to the upcoming NHL draft. As Fanadiens.com's Patrick Beausejour reports, the current success of two teams is largely due to Kent Hughes' right-hand man.

TVA Sports reporter Nicolas Cloutier reminded us on his Twitter account that Jeff Gorton is not only the architect of the Rangers, but also of the Boston Bruins who reached the Stanley Cup Final three years ago.

The Rangers are currently in the Eastern Conference Finals, and we remember that a few years ago he urged Blue Shirts fans to be patient as he announced that the team was in a rebuilding phase.

It's safe to say that patience has paid off this year with the first appearance for the Rangers in the Final Four since 2015, the year Jeff Gorton became the Rangers' general manager.

And if you go back to the summer of 2006, when he was the Bruins' interim GM, he was behind the selections of Phil Kessel, Milan Lucic and a certain Brad Marchand. He also made a real steal when he sent goalie Andrew Raycroft to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for prospect Tuukka Rask. Still, pretty impressive.

Now, I'm not saying that the Habs are going to make it to the Final Four in three years, but you have to admit that Geoff Molson didn't make a mistake when he signed Gorton and the tandem he forms with Kent Hughes will be in their very first draft.

Let's just say that if the past is a guarantee of the future, it's very promising for the future.