NHL confirms death of former Canadiens owner George N. Gillett Jr. at 87

George N. Gillett Jr., the former owner of the Montreal Canadiens who held the franchise from 2001 to 2009, has died at age 87, the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL announced Wednesday. The Canadiens stated the death occurred at 87, while the NHL also issued a condolence statement referencing Gillett’s long-running connection to Montreal and the team. The Canadiens’ ownership period began on Jan. 31, 2001, when Gillett became owner of the team and the organization’s arena, which is now known as Bell Centre. The NHL.com report stated that Gillett purchased control of the Canadiens and Molson (now Bell) Centre at that time, including ownership stakes that began his tenure with the club. It also reported that Gillett was born Oct. 22, 1938, in Racine, Wisconsin. Geoff Molson, the Canadiens owner, president and CEO, offered condolences on behalf of the organization in a statement included in the announcement. Molson said Gillett “immersed himself in the Montreal community” and thanked him for his contributions during his time as owner, while the Canadiens also characterized Gillett’s involvement with the broader Montreal community as meaningful to the organization. The NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman issued a separate statement. Bettman said Gillett’s “passion for the Montreal Canadiens and commitment to the city of Montreal were demonstrated throughout his tenure” as owner from 2001 to 2009, and he pointed to preparations for the Canadiens’ Centennial Celebration as part of the major chapter Gillett guided. The NHL’s statement also said Gillett’s hockey-world contributions left “an enduring mark,” and it extended condolences to Gillett’s family and friends. During Gillett’s ownership, the Canadiens’ organization undertook several high-profile milestones and transitions that the NHL.com report connected directly to his tenure. Those included preparations for the team’s centennial season in 2009–10, with the NHL noting the Centennial preparations as a significant part of the era. The report also stated that Gillett’s time as owner coincided with momentous events involving prominent Canadiens figures and franchise landmarks. One such landmark cited in the report was the return of captain Saku Koivu following his recovery from cancer on April 9, 2002. The NHL.com summary also linked Gillett’s ownership years to the Sept. 1, 2002 renaming of the team’s arena to Bell Centre, reflecting a major institutional and branding change for the franchise. In addition, the report described preparations that began during the 2000s for the Canadiens’ 2009–10 centennial season. The report said Gillett owned the Canadiens until June 20, 2009, when the team, its arena, and a concert and entertainment arm, Groupe Spectacles Gillett, were sold to current owner Geoff Molson and a consortium of investors. That marked the end of Gillett’s involvement with the Canadiens after nearly eight and a half seasons. Outside hockey ownership, the NHL.com report placed Gillett’s sports business background in context, describing his ownership of basketball’s Harlem Globetrotters and noting a particular moment from 1971 in which the Globetrotters suffered a loss. The report also identified Gillett as the founder of Brook Creek Management Corp., a portfolio management firm. It connected his broader business profile to his sports investments, describing ownership involvement beyond the Canadiens. The NHL.com account also included references to Gillett’s ownership of an NHL franchise’s home market institution and his sports portfolio more generally, including involvement with Liverpool Football Club in 2007 alongside Tom Hicks and a controlling interest in a multi-car NASCAR operation. While those details were part of the broader memorial narrative, the central announcements remained focused on his role with the Canadiens and the statements from the team and the NHL. In the Canadiens’ statement, Molson thanked Gillett for immersing himself in the community and for contributions made “during his time as owner.” In the NHL Commissioner’s statement, Bettman emphasized Gillett’s passion for Montreal and identified the team’s Centennial Celebration preparations as a significant legacy point in his tenure. Both statements, delivered as the league and team confirmed Gillett’s death, offered condolences to Gillett’s family and friends.

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Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk