Dominique Ducharme got his first chance in the NHL with Marc Bergevin. In April 2018, Bergévin appointed him as an assistant to Claude Julien. In February 2021, Bergvin chose him again to replace Julian.

But there is no permanent job in the NHL. Ducharme knew this fact, as did Bergvin. A few hours before the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Center, the white-haired man commented for the first time on the dismissal of his general manager.

“I spoke with Mark several times on Sunday,” Ducharme said. With the staff and the players, we talk about hockey, but we work with people every day. When you see someone leave, it’s never a nice feeling. There is hockey, but there are also people we work with every day.”

In his role as head coach since last year, Ducharme has had a very close relationship with his general manager.

“For the past 10 months we have been talking to each other at least once a day, sometimes two or three times. Mark is passionate, an honest person. I have always had a good relationship with him.”

No contact with Gorton

Ducharme will have to discover a new chief in the coming days in Jeff Gorton, executive vice president of hockey operations.

“No, I don’t know him at all. I know what he did in the past. I spoke to him very quickly over the phone, it was a conversation to introduce himself. I look forward to meeting him and working with him in the future.”

In the first year of a three-year agreement, Ducharme will now have to convince Gorton and the incoming GM that he will remain the man of confidence for this team. case do not worry.

We talked about controlling what we can control. For me, I repeat myself. But I had to prove myself year after year, day after day to get here. This is hockey, especially in the NHL. I think it’s the same for everyone.”