Former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin hired by Kings as adviser

That didn’t take long.

Exactly six weeks after being fired as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, Marc Bergevin has been added to the Los Angeles Kings' staff in a consulting capacity.

Bergevin’s official title is “senior adviser to the general manager.”

“Marc brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our hockey operations staff and will be a valuable addition to our group,” Kings GM Rob Blake said in a statement. “We look forward to his contributions.”

Bergevin was fired on Nov. 28, 2021 after nearly a decade in the chair in Montreal. The Canadiens compiled a 344-265-81 record (.557 points percentage) during Bergevin’s nine-plus seasons at the helm, but it was feast or famine in terms of playoff success.

The Canadiens won six playoff rounds in nine years. They missed the playoffs three times altogether and needed a pandemic-interrupted season to qualify in the Toronto bubble in 2020, before advancing to the Stanley Cup Final last summer and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

Interestingly enough, Bergevin’s connection to Los Angeles was reported back on Oct. 17, 2021 by Larry Brooks of the New York Post, while the then-GM was still employed in Montreal.

Brooks wrote then that Bergevin “might just be working next season in Los Angeles with Luc Robitaille.”

Bergevin’s contract with the Canadiens expires on June 30, at which point he’ll become a free agent. The Canadiens granted the Kings permission to hire Bergevin as a consultant.

“I’ve enjoyed my time away, but I’m excited to join the LA Kings and become an active part of helping the team reach its objectives,” said Bergevin. “I have a great amount of respect for Luc [Robitaille], Rob, and the staff they have in place, and it’s an honor to provide my input to this highly regarded group.”