MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens have signed general manager Kent Hughes and hockey operations executive Jeff Gorton to multi-year contract extensions, the NHL club announced Tuesday.

The club also announced Gorton would start a new role as president of hockey operations. Hughes and Gorton were in the final year of their contracts.

Hughes and Gorton have presided over an impressive turnaround in Montreal, with the team defying expectations by returning to the playoffs last season after a three-year absence.

The Canadiens have been led by an impressive young core, including captain Nick Suzuki, promising rookie Ivan Demidov and defenceman Lane Hutson — last season’s rookie of the year who signed a 70.8-million-dollar, eight-year contract extension on Monday.

Gorton was general manager

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