MONTREAL - A new generation of the Molson Family is considering the possibility of submitting a proposal to acquire the Montreal Canadiens hockey club.

Geoffrey E. Molson, a director of Molson Coors Brewing Company and the Molson Coors representative on the Montreal Canadiens board of directors, made the announcement today adding that he wanted to reveal his interest in acquiring the team. He also said that given the circumstances, he will not participate in the work of either of the two boards of directors whenever the issue of the sale of the team is under discussion. Andrew Molson, vice-chairman of Molson Coors, will also remove himself from such discussions.

Geoffrey Molson, who is 38 years old, was elected to the board of directors of Molson Coors at the Annual General Meeting of the Corporation held May 13, 2009. As a director, he succeeds his father, Eric H. Molson, who retired following a 50 year career at the brewery, nearly 30 years of which were spent on the board of directors.

The Molson family and the Coors family are the controlling shareholder of Molson Coors which holds 19.9% of the shares of the Montreal Canadiens hockey club and the Gillette Entertainment Group.

Today's announcement involves only Geoffrey Molson and his immediate family, which includes his brothers Andrew and Justin. It does not involve the Molson Coors corporation. There is no assurance, moreover, that Geoffrey Molson and his family will make an offer, alone or together with other partners. The objective of today's announcement is to reveal with complete transparency that the Family is considering making an offer.

Geoffrey Molson is vice-president marketing of Molson Canada, where he held various positions since 1999.

The Molson Family, directly and through the brewery, has been associated with the Montreal Canadiens since 1957 when brothers Thomas and Hartland Molson acquired the team from Senator Donat Raymond. During the period the family controlled the team, the Canadiens won 11 of their 24 Stanley Cups.

The Molson Family has been deeply rooted in Montreal since their ancestor John Molson founded the brewery in Montreal in 1786. For more than two centuries since then, the Family has contributed to a multitude of causes and institutions in the sectors of education, culture and health.