The Montreal Canadiens are making sure general manager Marc Bergevin is going to be building their team for quite a few years. The team announced on Wednesday afternoon that Bergevin has signed a contract extension with the Canadiens that runs through the end of the 2021-22 season.
"I am very pleased to announce that Marc accepted a multi-year contract extension and that he will remain our general manager until the end of the 2021-22 season. This new agreement brings added stability for our organization and particularly for our hockey operations. It enables us to continue our efforts in giving our fans a winning team," team president Geoff Molson said in a statement. "Marc is an excellent general manager who quickly made an impact in the league with his leadership skills and his ability to identify the needs and find the personnel to assemble a championship team. I am very pleased with his work and the results he has achieved since his appointment as general manager."
Even without knowing the financial commitment from the team, it's still a major investment by the Canadiens to sign a general manager for that many years. But if any GM in the league has earned it, it's Bergevin. Since taking over the team in May, 2012, the Canadiens have put together a .656 winning percentage and are currently tied for the best record in the NHL through the first quarter of the 2015-16 season.
During Bergevin's tenure the team has signed core players Carey Price, Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban to long-term contract extensions, while also selecting Alex Galchenyuk at the top of the 2012 draft. They've also added Dale Weise (whose career has completely turned around since joining the Canadiens), Tomas Fleischmann and Jeff Petry from outside the organization.
Pacioretty's deal, which was one of Bergevin's first major moves in charge of the team, is quickly becoming one of the best bargains in the league.
Before he started working as an executive in the NHL, Bergevin spent 20 years playing in the league between 1984 and 2004. He appeared in 1,191 games with the Blues, Blackhawks, Lightning, Penguins, Whalers, Islanders, Red Wings and Canucks.
