Great Concordian: Julien BriseBois, Stanley Cup-winning NHL executive

Julien BriseBois, EMBA 07, has carved out an illustrious career in professional sports as general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as the National Hockey League franchise’s minor league affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

Under BriseBois’ watch, the Lightning secured back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021, and made the NHL finals for a third consecutive time in 2022.

“To ensure lasting success at this level, you need to create an environment where every player and staff member contributes to a shared vision of excellence,” says the graduate of the John Molson Executive MBA program.

After law school, BriseBois began his professional journey at the law firm Heenan Blaikie, where he excelled in salary arbitration cases and learned from the likes of Daniel Dumais, now a judge with the Superior Court of Quebec.

Hired by Montreal Canadiens general manager André Savard in 2001, BriseBois spent more than nine seasons with his hometown Habs, where he ascended from director of legal affairs to vice-president of hockey operations.

His leadership greatly contributed to a 2007 Calder Cup victory for the Hamilton Bulldogs, the former AHL affiliate of the Canadiens.

When he reflects on his career, the Great Concordian attributes much of his success to the mentorship of NHL Hall of Famers like Bob Gainey and Steve Yzerman, whom he succeeded as Lightning GM.

“They not only trusted me with crucial responsibilities but also allowed me to grow and learn from their experiences as captains of championship teams and as general managers.” says BriseBois.

“Additionally, having access to the wisdom of people like Scotty Bowman and Jimmy Develanno, who live in Sarasota, Florida, and regularly attend Lightning games, has been invaluable in shaping my approach to building and sustaining a winning culture.”

BriseBois’ accolades include two nominations for the NHL’s Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, recognition as the top hockey executives under 40 by The Hockey News, and his role as assistant general manager for Team Canada in its victory at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Great Concordian was also named a Top 50 Under 50 by his alma mater in 2019.

When you reflect on your time as a Concordia student, what stands out?

Julien BriseBois: The classmates I got to meet and spend time with for two years. As much as I learned from the professors in the EMBA program, I learned just as much from my fellow students. I’ve stayed in touch with many of them over the years and occasionally reach out to them for advice, particularly in matters in which they have expertise that I don’t have.

What are some of the factors that have enabled your success?

JB: I’ve always had the good fortune of being surrounded by good people who are very good at their jobs. I benefited enormously from the quality of their work and their contributions to our organization’s success. Being associated with them reflected positively on me and doors were opened because of it. And because I had seen what it is to be a good hockey executive or a good lawyer, I was ready to take advantage of those opportunities when they were presented.

What advice do you have for students who may want to follow in your footsteps?

JB: You have to be able to distinguish yourself from other applicants. If I open up a position with our organization, I’m going to get 600 to 800 resumés in no time. So what can you bring to the table? In my case, I had experience in salary arbitration cases at the NHL level. That distinguished me from other applicants.

Secondly, network. Ability is one thing, but decision-makers need to know you exist and are interested. Getting to know people in the industry increases your odds of getting an opportunity.

Lastly, when you’re young and starting out a lack of experience can work against you. So how can you acquire it quickly? The answer is by learning from others. And a good way to do that is to read. So I would recommend that people read books from experts in their field.

How does it feel to be a Great Concordian?

JB: Very humbling considering the tens of thousands of students who have gone through Concordia over the last 50 years. It’s hard to believe that I made the list. I’m really happy that I did, and I’m certainly not going to be asking for a recount!