HAB HEAD: CANADIENS NAME SPORTING GOODS EXEC NEW PRESIDENT

          Montreal sporting goods exec Pierre Boivin has been
     named Canadiens President and will be introduced at a press
     conference scheduled for Tuesday, according to Pat Hickey of
     the Montreal GAZETTE.  Boivin, who "left his post" as Nike's
     Canstar Sports President earlier this summer, succeeds
     Ronald Corey.  Hickey wrote that Boivin's hiring "is a sign"
     that Canadiens Owner Molson "is most concerned about the
     bottom line at the Molson Centre and isn't overly worried
     about the team's flagging performance on the ice."  Hickey
     described Boivin as a business exec "who has shown that he
     can make tough decisions," as he was one of the lead
     negotiators when Nike purchased Canstar, and "exacted a
     premium price" for the company's stock.  Hickey added that
     the hiring "should quell the rumours" that Molson is
     interested in selling the Canadiens (GAZETTE, 8/28).