The sky is falling on Jeff Gorton, the current vice-president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens.
Once seen as a promising architect, capable of profoundly transforming an organization, his reputation is now severely damaged.
The trade of Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken this week, for lesser assets, revived painful memories of his questionable management of the New York Rangers.
In Montreal, where the demands of supporters are at their peak, this past resurfaces like a threatening shadow.
Between 2017 and 2020, Jeff Gorton had a rare NHL opportunity on his hands: four top-ten draft picks.
This type of capital usually allows you to build a championship team, but today only Alexis Lafrenière and a few secondary elements (Filip Chytil, Braden Schneider, K'Andre Miller) survive in New York.
The failures of this period are overwhelming:
Kaapo Kakko (2nd overall, 2019): The winger never lived up to the expectations associated with a second pick. Traded this week for Will Borgen and two late draft picks, he illustrates the misjudgment of some players' potential. Meanwhile, talents like Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield and Matthew Boldy are shining elsewhere.
Lias Andersson (7th overall, 2017): Considered one of the biggest flops of recent decades, Andersson never broke through and is now playing far from the NHL. Nick Suzuki or Jason Robertson could have been chosen instead.
Vitali Kravtsov (9th overall, 2018): Another dismal failure, traded for crumbs after a disappointing stint with the Rangers. Defender Evan Bouchard, chosen just after, would have filled a glaring need in New York.
Alexis Lafrenière (1st overall, 2020): Although Lafrenière has shown signs of progress, he remains far from the level expected of a first pick. Tim Stützle, drafted third that year, is already an undisputed star.
The Rangers, despite their resources, were never able to maximize their rebuilding window under Gorton.
While success stories like the acquisitions of Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox helped the team, they weren't enough to make up for recruiting shortcomings.
And the credit didn't go to Gorton. Only the fact that these players absolutely wanted to play in New York.
The contrast is stark: Most of the Rangers' current success is based on players acquired outside of drafts led by Gorton and Nick Bobrov.
The Kaapo Kakko trade is a wake-up call for Montreal fans, who fear repeating the same mistakes under the leadership of Gorton and Bobrov.
Recent decisions, notably the selection of Juraj Slafkovsky at first place in 2022 in place of Logan Cooley and David Reinbacher in 2023, already smell of panic in Montreal.
Although Slafkovsky shows interesting potential, his development is closely scrutinized, and some fear that patience will quickly run out.
Reinbacher, meanwhile, must overcome a major injury to live up to expectations, so Matvei Michkov is already a generational player in Philadelphia.
Some arguments suggest that the Gorton-Bobrov duo is learning from their past mistakes. Selections like Lane Hutson (62nd in 2022), who is already establishing himself as a steal of the draft, or Ivan Demidov (5th in 2024), who is performing in the KHL despite limited ice time, offer glimmers of hope.
However, skepticism remains: will these choices be enough to avoid another monumental fiasco?
Jeff Gorton, once touted for his vision, now finds himself up to his neck in hot water. The mistakes of his past are catching up with him, and his room for maneuver in Montreal is dwindling.
If the Canadian fails to maximize his next opportunities, particularly thanks to his young prospects, the anger of the fans could well sweep away this administration.
In New York, Gorton is seen as a loser across the board.
In Montreal, the name of Matvei Michkov will resonate for a long time to come, and for many reasons.
Each exceptional performance from the young Russian reignites the debate over the Montreal Canadiens' controversial choice to ignore this unique talent to select David Reinbacher fifth overall in the 2023 draft.
This decision, which continues to divide supporters, today places Jeff Gorton and his administration in a delicate position.
Michkov is, without a doubt, an exceptional player. His statistics and impact on the ice make him one of the most fascinating talents of his generation.
However, several teams, including the Canadian, decided to pass. The Philadelphia Flyers, who jumped at the chance by selecting him seventh, are probably already relishing their boldness.
But why so much reluctance around such a player? Elliotte Friedman, on the 32 Thoughts podcast, offered some food for thought.
According to him, Mishkov wanted to go to Philadelphia and worked towards this end. His ability to dictate his future, from the age of 18, raised eyebrows among several leaders.
This type of behavior, although impressive for a young player, has created concerns for CH leaders, who are looking for excuses.
The Montreal Canadiens have never directly explained their reasoning, but several clues point to off-ice concerns.
Jeff Gorton, Nick Bobrov and Kent Hughes reportedly rated Michkov's character and ambitions as potential risks to the harmony of a rebuilding team.
In Montreal, where media and popular pressure is immense, the slightest misstep can become a scandal.
David Reinbacher, on the other hand, represented a safe choice. An intelligent, mature and dedicated defender, he checked all the boxes sought by an organization wanting to build a solid foundation.
However, the choice of Reinbacher is seen by some as conservative, almost fearful, in the face of the opportunity to transform the team with a talent like Michkov.
Jeff Gorton, already under pressure for other past decisions, now finds himself having to defend himself publicly.
The idea that he would have contacted journalists, directly or indirectly, to appease the criticism surrounding the Michkov file does not help his situation.
Elliotte Friedman's comments, linking the Michkov case to the potential of Ivan Demidov (chosen in 2024), suggest an attempt to redirect attention to the present and the promising future of certain hopefuls.
However, those efforts won't be enough to calm frustrated fans, especially if Michkov becomes the superstar many predict.
With each Russian exploit, the choice to miss out will seem even more incomprehensible.
The Canadian will have to live with this decision for years. Every match, every point, every exploit will be a wake-up call for an organization that has chosen security over genius.
It remains to be seen if Ivan Demidov, David Reinbacher or other hopefuls will be enough to appease the fans… or if Michkov's name will forever become the symbol of a missed opportunity for Montreal.
Forever the symbol of Jeff Gorton's failure…
