Kent Hughes boasts a compelling resume.
He previously worked as a player agent before becoming the General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens, leveraging his extensive experience in various capacities. Hughes discussed his background on Torrey Mitchell’s podcast, a former client and ex-Habs player, where he shared some noteworthy insights.
Reflecting on his career path, Hughes mentioned declining an opportunity to interview for the GM position with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He viewed it as a compelling challenge at the time but ultimately decided against it due to concerns about uprooting his family to Pittsburgh. Hughes expressed reluctance to relocate his wife to a new city while he anticipated extensive travel commitments.
The timeline of this decision coincides with significant changes in Pittsburgh’s GM leadership—Jim Rutherford took over in 2014 following interim stints, and Ron Hextall assumed the role in 2021 after further interim management. Hughes also revealed that his interest in a GM role grew when Torrey Mitchell contemplated retirement, which ultimately occurred after Mitchell’s 2018-2019 season in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Jeff Gorton played a pivotal role in encouraging Hughes to reconsider his decision, actively pursuing him during Gorton’s tenure as GM in New York. It was Gorton who repeatedly approached Hughes about the Montreal GM position, eventually leading to Hughes accepting the role in 2022.
Since taking over, Hughes has made significant strides in revitalizing the Canadiens organization, reflecting positively on his tenure thus far.
