Bergevin linked to another NHL team's GM position after negotiations stall with Habs

The Montreal Canadiens are off to an absolutely horrendous start to the 2021-22 NHL campaign, going 0-4 and putting up just three goals in four games. 

Losing leaders Shea Weber and Carey Price has certainly hurt the team on and off the ice, but with solid veteran talent like Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli up front and Jeff Petry and David Savard on the back end, you have to imagine that this team will figure things out before long. 

Youngsters like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caulfield have been tabbed as the next generation in Montreal and, frankly, both players have struggled to produce so far this season. In fact, with guys like Weber and Price potentially aging out and then with strong role players like Philip Danault and Corey Perry moving on as free agents this past offseason it's clear that the Habs are a team stuck in transition. And no one emblemizes that more than general manager Marc Bergevin.

Bergevin, of course, has been the team's GM since 2012 but is without a contract following this season. There are reports that negotiations between Bergevin and owner Geoff Molson have been contentious and that Bergevin may not be back with the team next season. In fact, multiple NHL analysts have already predicted a split between the Habs and their long-time GM next offseason. Longtime NHL reporter Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that Bergevin could wind up on the West Coast when all is said and done.

From Brooks' most recent column for the Post:

"Marc Bergevin, entering the final year of his contract as general manager in Montreal, just might wind up in Los Angeles next season working with Kings president Luc Robitaille ."

Interesting.

I'm not sure where Brooks got this scoop or if he's just connecting the dots, but if it's the latter I'd be wary. The fact is that Bergevin has connections all over the NHL and he has made an entire second career off of his ability to connect with other people. Whether he ends up in LA or not, we'll have to see but if he does end up leaving the Habs I imagine he'll land himself a well-connected job in pretty short order.