Former Canadiens GM Tops Islanders' Wish List

A former general manager of the Montreal Canadiens is reportedly at the top of the New York Islanders' wish list.

Jan 7, 2018; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin talks to the media during a conference prior to the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The New York Islanders are in the early stages of their search for a new general manager, but the updates are rolling in regularly. In the brief time since Lou Lamoriello departed the franchise, several different names have been tied to the role. Names like Ken Holland, last employed by the Edmonton Oilers, and Jeff Gorton, currently working with the Montreal Canadiens, have been tied to the open position.

Now, another name enters the Islanders' wish list. According to The Athletic's Arthur Staple, Los Angeles Kings Special Advisor to the GM Marc Bergevin is the next candidate the organization is shifting its focus to.

Another #Isles search update -- we'll just keep ringing these up every 24 hours:

-- Ken Holland believed to be a no on NYI job for now
-- As @PierreVLeBrun reported, MTL not letting Jeff Gorton go for now
-- Marc Bergevin next in line for NYI?

Let's see what changes by tomorrow

— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) May 7, 2025

Bergevin has been with the Kings since 2022 but has previous experience as a GM with the Canadiens. He was hired as the Habs' GM in 2012, serving for nearly a decade. Following a disappointing start to the 2021-2022 campaign, Montreal fired Bergevin. He was very active in the trade market during his tenure, completing over 100 trades in his nine seasons with Montreal. The highlight of those deals is undoubtedly the blockbuster that sent former captain Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights for a package that includes current captain and superstar forward Nick Suzuki.

The big slight against Bergevin was his poor drafting skills. The Canadiens selected Jesperi Kotkaniemi with the third overall pick in the 2018 draft, passing on current NHL stars like Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk. The list of players Bergevin selected in the first round includes duds like Nikita Scherbak, Noah Juulsen, and Michael McCarron.

The biggest blunder was another third-overall pick. In 2012, the Canadiens selected Alex Galchenyuk with their first-round pick. He failed to live up to expectations and then bounced around NHL franchises. The Habs passed on players like Morgan Reilly, Filip Forsberg, Tom Wilson, and Andrei Vasilevskiy to select Galchenyuk, all of whom were selected later in the first round.

As Staple's updates suggest, Bergevin is the new top candidate for the Islanders' gig. It's unclear if there's any progress on him joining the organization, but the former Canadiens' GM is apparently at the top of the Islanders' wish list.

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