BUFFALO, N.Y. — The owner took a deep breath and collected himself. He looked exhausted.How could he put into words seeing a team that he had the courage to rebuild in 2022 reach the Eastern Conference finals in 2026 after beating the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of the second round?“It’s been four years we’ve been trying to get to a point where we have a team that can be competitive,’’ Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said outside a jubilant visitor’s dressing room Monday night after his team’s dramatic, 3-2 overtime win. “We just won two seven-game series. It’s really impressive. These guys are resilient, and they never give up.”To kick off the rebuild, Molson parted ways with the team’s general manager, Marc Bergevin, who is now the right-hand man to Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen. Bergevin left behind some key pieces, though, including Nick Suzuki and Josh Anderson via trade, and Cole Caufield via the draft. His most important parting gift was signing Suzuki to an eight-year deal with a $7.875-million cap hit in the fall of 2021, some six weeks before his exit from Montreal.All of that was noted by Bergevin’s successor Monday night.“Yeah, there were a lot of good hockey players here when we arrived. I think people know that, certainly hockey people,” Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said moments after his team’s win. “Not just good hockey players, but really good people. You don’t rebuild a team from scratch, right?“We took what was here, and we added to it,’’ added Hughes. “So hats off to him (Bergevin), he deserves credit, too.”Classy of Hughes to note that. But the work of Hughes and Jeff Gorton, the team’s president of hockey operations, has been nothing short of fantastic in having all of this happen, and so quickly.The Canadiens made the playoffs last season, one year ahead of schedule. Now they’re in the NHL’s final four ahead of schedule, too.Had it sunk in 20 minutes after Alex Newhook’s overtime winner Monday night?“Right now? Still trying to recover from the second and third periods,” smiled Hughes. “But I’m proud of the guys. They’ve come a long way. I think everybody, the coaches, the players, these experiences are invaluable as we continue to try to work towards something.”That is what is so fascinating about these Canadiens: They are still working toward something, and yet here they are, halfway to a Stanley Cup.Viewed through the lens of being one of the last four teams alive in the playoffs, the Canadiens have arrived as contenders. But for management, this is simply a significant part of a journey that is not yet complete.