National Hockey League’s (NHL) General Manager (GM) of the Year: Top Candidates
General Managers aren’t widely recognized in NHL for all their hard work and dedication to the team. They are the people who organize and deal with all the staff trying to make the team a better one if not the best, behind closed curtains, which is why we
don’t see them that often.
For the second straight year, NHL has started to properly distinguish a GM from the rest, based solely on the improvement of the team and seen dedication from individuals who make the team run.
The fun part about it is that all 30 GM’s of NHL franchises along with an executive panel, vote for one individual who they think deserves to be the GM of the Year, the most. Hence, in a way, we can say it is true recognition from the same level.
The inaugural season of the award was 2009-2010 season when GM of Phoenix Coyotes, Don Maloney, won the accolade after a tough competition with fellow nominees’, Nashville’s David Poile and Washington’s George McPhee.
Looking at how the current season is near to its end, it’s safe to name some candidates who seem capable of the award and can be discussed and opinionated on.
GM Peter Chiarelli (Boston Bruins)
When taking a look at the current NHL Eastern Conference standings, it isn’t hard to tell that Boston has done well for itself this season.
They’re at no.2, four points below the conference leaders, Philadelphia, and have fought hard (Strategically and physically) for their wins.
Chiarelli made Bruins a tough team this season, before being a continuous target for criticism by Boston fans and now an icon like figure.
He’s re-signed some major players like Johnny Boychuk and Gregory Campbell along with a number of other players.
Of course every move isn’t considered positive such as some trades, like Dennis Wideman being traded to Florida and a few others, but the positives outweigh the negatives in this situation.
If he continues to make such strategic moves, Bruins will win the cup very soon.
GM Steve Yzerman (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Steve Yzerman may be a rookie when it comes to being a GM, but he certainly knows how the game is played. A Hall of Famer from Detroit Red Wings, he certainly can compare with some of the best at what he does.
The 2003-2004 season winners of the Stanley Cup has seen its ups and downs lately, but this year Steve had made some good solid decisions for improving the team.
It is fifth in the Eastern Conference right now and that shows dramatic improvement in the team since the past seasons, acquiring Sean Bergenheim and Dominic Moore really improved the team’s chemistry.
Steve truly has an eye for talent, signing Dwayne Roloson and Eric Brewer, one of his best moves, while recruiting Marc-Andre Bergeron proved that you could find talent if you just tried to look.
Alex Tanguay traded to Flames, might have been his biggest loss, but looking for more defensive players, it turned out to be positive in a sense.
Realizing that you can’t improve your line-up without proper directions, he hired AHL Hamilton’s coach, Guy Boucher, who is extremely talented in the coaching field.
It’ll take time, but Tampa Bay certainly has the capacity to achieve anything now.
GM Mike Gillis (Vancouver Canucks)
No one can criticise Canucks this season for sure since Mike Gillis has produced amazing performances from the team which makes it look like a new team, due to some minor changes made with the passage of time that proved useful.
GM Mike Gillis was determined to improve his team’s defence at all costs regardless of what others advised, trading Keith Ballard for Dan Hamhuis and grabbing Manny Malhotra and Cory Schneider, among some spectacular decisions that are paying off today.
In Hamhuis and Malhotra, Canucks has great offensive attacking power and Schneider has proved to be the perfect backup goalie.
Vancouver is feeling good this season, as it is its 40th anniversary. Some might say that Canucks will be winning the cup for sure this season, reaching the finals and winning is another thing, but Mike Gillis is definitely a top contender for
this award.
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