Canadiens' new GM envisions building fast, offensive-minded team

Newly appointed Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes held an introductory press conference Wednesday and offered some insight on what kind of roster he hopes to construct.

"In a perfect world, we would be an offensive-minded club," Hughes said, also identifying team speed and puck possession as key characteristics for the future, according to TSN's John Lu.

Hughes also stressed the importance of using advanced statistics as a tool, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

Canadiens owner Geoff Molson revealed the team interviewed 11 candidates, and Hughes won the job after the list was narrowed down to three finalists.

It's Hughes' first front-office job after working as a high-profile player agent for several years. With the Canadiens currently sitting last in the NHL standings, Hughes is aware there's plenty of work ahead.

"The word doesn't matter to me - whether it's rebuild, reset - my vision is to build a team that can win for years," Hughes added.

He opted to make the switch from agent to executive due in large part to the lure of working for his childhood team.

"This is somewhat a homecoming for me, and I'm proud to be back with the team of my childhood," Hughes said.

"I grew up dreaming of playing for the Canadiens, but this is the second-best option," he added, according to Jared Book of Eyes on the Prize.

Hughes is the 18th GM in Canadiens history. He succeeds Marc Bergevin, who was fired in November.