The Chicago Tribune reports that former Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier is joining the Chicago Blackhawks organization as director of player personnel.
Gauthier was fired by the Canadiens in March after working two years as GM. He was replaced in Montreal by Marc Bergevin, who had been Blackhawks assistant GM under Stan Bowman.
Gauthier, 59, also worked in the front office for the Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. He was promoted to the role of executive vice president and GM in February 2010 after Bob Gainey stepped down.
In his first full season as GM, Gauthier's Canadiens finished sixth in the East and made the playoffs but were eliminated in seven games by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in the first round.
The team took a step back this year, stumbling out of the gate and losing their first three games on home ice for the first time since 1938.
Montreal continued to struggle through the early portion of the season and head coach Jacques Martin was eventually fired in mid-December.
Randy Cunneyworth was appointed as interim head coach by Gauthier in a move that caused a stir in the Montreal media due to Cunneyworth's inability to speak French. The coaching change also failed to spark the team on the ice as the Canadiens continued to struggle under Cunneyworth.
Gauthier originally joined the Canadiens organization as Director of Professional Scouting in 2003.
