Former Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett Jr. dies at 87

George Gillett Jr., the former majority owner of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, has died at 87.

The Canadiens confirmed Gillett’s death in a release Thursday. A cause of death was not given.

Gillett bought the Bell Centre (then Molson Centre) and a majority stake in the Canadiens for $275 million on Jan. 31, 2001, with the help of $140 million in loans from two banks and the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, the province’s pension fund manager.

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He owned the Original Six club until agreeing to sell the team and arena to the Molson family on June 20, 2009.

The sale was approved by the NHL’s board of governors in December of that year.

Gillett, along with fellow American Tom Hicks, also owned English soccer giant Liverpool FC from 2007 to 2010.

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Born on Oct. 22, 1938, in Racine, Wis., Gillett rose to prominence as the founder of Brook Creek Management Corp., a portfolio management firm.

“On behalf of the entire Canadiens organization, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to George’s family,” Canadiens owner, president and chief executive officer Geoff Molson said in a statement.

“George immersed himself in the Montreal community and was appreciated by everyone in the organization. We sincerely appreciate his contributions to the Montreal Canadiens during his time as owner.”