The Montreal Canadiens have always been a team steeped in tradition, but what unfolded behind closed doors last season was anything but ordinary.

In a move that left fans and insiders buzzing, a high-profile player request landed directly on NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s desk — and the answer he gave would send shockwaves through the hockey world.

Now, with a brand new excerpt from Crave’s acclaimed documentary series, The Rebuild: Inside the Montreal Canadiens, viewers are finally getting a glimpse into the emotional and logistical whirlwind that followed.

What could possibly prompt such a rare intervention from the league’s top official? And why did it matter so much to one of Montreal’s brightest stars? The story is more than just a number change; it’s about legacy, respect, and the hidden struggles that come with honoring the past while forging a new identity.

As the cameras roll and the secrets begin to unravel, fans are left with more questions than answers. How did this behind-the-scenes drama affect the team? What did it mean for the player at the center of it all? One thing is certain: the truth is far more surprising than anyone could have imagined.

Oct 14, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gives a press conference before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

In the past few hours, a second excerpt from the series on the Montreal Canadiens’ rebuild has been released.

This is a really interesting and moving excerpt from Crave’s The Rebuild: Inside the Montreal Canadiens showing a bit of how Cole Caufield’s famous number change happened last year, when he went from number 22 to number 13, in honor of Johnny Gaudreau.

It was Gary Bettman who accepted the Montreal Canadiens’ request for their player Cole Caufield

It was indeed a very unusual situation, but Bettman immediately approved the request. Wow.

“Johnny Gaudreau wore number 13.

Now, Cole Caufield wants to honor his memory and have the same on his jersey.”

Narrator

“I asked Kent and Jeff if it was possible, and they told me they would have to contact the league (the NHL), because it’s not something that’s usually done.

Obviously, tons of people had a jersey with number 22, but Gary Bettman accepted.

It was really special for me to be able to do that in honor of Johnny.”

Cole Caufield

In the excerpt, we then see what happens behind the scenes when this number change takes place, and it’s clear that it brings a lot of logistics.

Following this change, Cole signed more than 1,800 jerseys!

You read that right 1,800! All the details are in the following video:

“A new scene from The Rebuild: Season 2, the Canadiens’ behind-the-scenes documentary.

After changing his jersey to number 13 in honor of Johnny Gaudreau, Cole spent hours signing Caufield number 22 jerseys.

He signed 1,800 jerseys.”

HabsOnReddit

Clearly, Caufield worked hard to make this number change happen.. And kudos to Gary Bettman for accepting it!