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Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Did The Voters For The NHL's 2025 GM Of The Year Finalists Get It Right?
On Friday, the NHL unveiled its finalists for the 2025 Jim Gregory Award, which is awarded to the general manager of the year. The names look familiar: Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are both finalists for the third-straight year, and Nill won in 2023 and 2024. Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets is a second-time finalist after finishing second in the voting in 2018. Now with a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes, Zito's Panthers are one win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the third-straight year. They're following in the footsteps of their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who did the same from 2020-22. Zito has earned three third-place finishes in the Jim Gregory voting in his five years at the helm in Florida. Now it's time for a win. While the members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association love to vote for new coaches or coaches in new positions for the Jack Adams Award, the GM of the Year voters seem much more inclined to reward established names who have put in some time. Zito was an exception, earning early acclaim in his first season as a GM, in 2021. And talk about a high degree of difficulty. He was hired in September of 2020, while the bubble playoffs were ongoing. He had to prepare for a virtual draft after playoffs had been cancelled across the hockey world, build his roster with a flat salary cap, then get his team through a slapdash 56-game season where travel restrictions changed divisional alignments and games were played in empty or near-empty arenas. Right off the hop, Zito drafted Anton Lundell, signed Carter Verhaeghe as a bargain free agent and picked up Gustav Forsling on waivers. At the 2021 trade deadline, he dealt for Sam Bennett and Brandon Montour. The Panthers lost their first-round playoff series to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. But they already looked decidedly different, and voters took notice. Since then, Zito has successfully continued his bold roster reconstructions, won a championship, and is now looking for more. His fourth appearance in five years in the Jim Gregory mix is unprecedented. The only other GM who has been named more since the award was introduced in 2010 is Nill. He's now a five-time finalist, but is in his 12th year running the Stars. In Jim Gregory voting, the award is supposed to go to 'the League's most outstanding general manager.' That could mean a lot of things. Because the voting panel is made up of GMs and other league executives as well as a select group of print and broadcast media, no one knows which criteria are favored. Final ballots aren't made public — only a tally of the total points received by each GM. The timing is also unique. Voting is now done at the end of the second round of the playoffs, and that shows in the recent results. Over the last nine years, 22 of the 27 finalists have managed teams that won their second-round playoff series and reached the final four. This year, Nill and Zito fit that qualification, but the exception is Cheveldayoff. His Jets fell just one win short, but the voters who supported him likely looked at Winnipeg's achievement of winning its first-ever Presidents' Trophy. In Cheveldayoff's case, the support could also be recognizing his long tenure as the one-and-only GM of Jets 2.0, where he's continuing to advance the organization as the years go on. Under his watch in the NHL's smallest market recently, he has managed to retain high-profile free-agents-to-be, Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck and extend key players like Nino Niederreiter, Dylan DeMelo, Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Iafallo and Neal Pionk. When it was revealed in February that nearly half of the 111 players surveyed anonymously by The Athletic this year said that Winnipeg would be the No. 1 market on their no-trade lists, Jets players pushed back. 'Obviously there are some things that are out of our control like the cold in winter and the taxes compared to other cities,' DeMelo said. 'But for me, this is such a fun place to play and live. Our kids are growing up in the community, the team is great, the organization is top-class. You see obviously we've been able to retain key players, a lot of players.' So Cheveldayoff is deserving of the attention he's getting. But it's not like his spot in the finals should have been a slam dunk. The biggest complication around a Washington Capitals vote for GM of the Year was which executive to name. Ten-year GM Brian MacLellan surrendered his manager's chair to Chris Patrick on July 8, 2024, just after the team traded for Pierre-Luc Dubois, Logan Thompson and Jakob Chychrun, and signed Matt Roy. MacLellan also previously set the table for the team's current success by hiring Spencer Carbery as coach and building out a prospect pool that could ably support Alex Ovechkin's quest for the goal-scoring record as veterans like Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie stepped aside. As the current GM, Patrick's resume doesn't have enough bullet points yet to earn him a nod. Two other GMs who have made noteworthy moves this season were working together a year ago. Current struggles aside, first-time boss Eric Tulsky deserves respect for his work in Carolina. After the Hurricanes were expected to step back following the 2024 departures of Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce and Teuvo Teravainen, he re-tooled his lineup for regular-season success and two more playoff-round wins while also swinging for the fences — bringing in Mikko Rantanen and not being afraid to make a bold reset when that deal didn't land the way he'd hoped. Tulsky's old boss, Don Waddell, also did a remarkable job in his first season with his new team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. He strengthened his roster with character players like Sean Monahan, then navigated the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau while supporting his players and staff members with grace and compassion. Watching the Blue Jackets bond and work together was a clear sign that Waddell's guidance had a positive impact that stretched beyond typical day-to-day duties. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cheveldayoff, Nill, and Zito finalists for NHL GM of the Year Award
The NHL announced its three candidates for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award on Friday: Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets, Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Unlike other end-of-season awards, this award is voted on by NHL general managers, executives, and a select group of media following the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, placing importance on both regular-season performance and post-season success. Regular-season dominance, playoff success, and astute roster maneuverings characterize 2025 GM of the Year finalists 2025 NHL Awards Predictions | 32 Thoughts Kevin Cheveldayoff guided the Winnipeg Jets to their strongest regular season in team history, winning the Presidents' Trophy with a 56-22-4 mark and 116 points. Last season's first-round playoff failure served as the catalyst for Cheveldayoff to rebuild behind the bench, again advancing Scott Arniel — this year a Jack Adams Award finalist — and supplementing at the trade deadline with Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn. While the Jets fell to Dallas in six games, Cheveldayoff's regular-season master plan received league-wide acclaim. In the meantime, Jim Nill is chasing a third straight GM of the Year Award win. His Dallas Stars reached the Western Conference Final for the third consecutive year and dispatched Cheveldayoff's Jets in Round 2. Nill took big bets at the trade deadline, acquiring Mikko Rantanen — now the NHL's top playoff point scorer — and committing to him on an eight-year extension. He also brought in veterans Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci, both of whom have played a part in the Stars' playoff success. In the Panthers' own backyard, Bill Zito continues to cement his place as one of the best players in the NHL. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers last season held the Eastern Conference Final position again, and they lead Carolina 2-0. Despite free-agent losses of several of its key players — Brandon Montour and Anthony Stolarz among them — Zito reloaded with under-the-radar acquisitions such as Jesper Boqvist and Tomas Nosek, then acquired larger deadline bargains in Seth Jones and former Boston captain Brad Marchand. Also read: This is the third consecutive season that Nill and Zito are finalists, and both have established strong positions again. Nill is the leader among active GMs with two Jim Gregory Awards, and Zito has been up for the award consecutively three times, the second-most since 2009-10, when the award began.
Miami Herald
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
NHL Announces Cheveldayoff, Nill And Zito As GM Of The Year Finalists
The NHL announced the finalists for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award on Friday. The Winnipeg Jets' Kevin Cheveldayoff, Dallas Stars' Jim Nill and Florida Panthers' Bill Zito are the final three up for the award, which goes to the league's most outstanding GM. While most of the NHL's awards are voted on right after the regular season, the league's GMs and a panel of executives, print and broadcast media voted for the Jim Gregory Award after the second round of the playoffs. Two of these GMs are still in the playoffs, while the other led his squad to the Presidents' Trophy. In fact, Cheveldayoff's Jets not only finished atop the regular-season standings for the first time in franchise history, but they had their best regular season record as well, with a 56-22-4 record and 116 points. Cheveldayoff followed up on a fourth-place finish and first-round exit last year by promoting coach Scott Arniel to replace Rick Bowness as bench boss. Arniel is a Jack Adams finalist. The GM also acquired left winger Brandon Tanev and defenseman Luke Schenn at the NHL trade deadline. Schenn had 59 hits and one point in the playoffs, while Tanev had 44 hits. Nill's Stars eliminated the Jets in six games during the second round and are back in the Western Conference final for the third straight season. Nill also has a chance at winning the Jim Gregory Award for the third straight time as well after earning the honor in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Nill brought on Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci in February. Granlund has nine points in the playoffs so far, and Ceci has three. But the biggest move of the trade deadline brought Mikko Rantanen to the Stars from the Carolina Hurricanes, and Nill signed the superstar to an eight-year contract extension. Rantanen now leads the NHL in playoff scoring, with 20 points in 14 games. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, currently trail Nito's Panthers 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final. Zito and the Panthers won the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history last season. Although they lost Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz in free agency, he brought in depth players Nate Schmidt, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek and Jesper Boqvist while later acquiring star defenseman Seth Jones and former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand around the trade deadline. Zito is a finalist for the GM of the Year award for the third straight time and trails only Nill for most finalist berths since the award was introduced in 2009-10. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
Global News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Jets' Cheveldayoff a finalist for NHL general manager of the year with Nill, Zito
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is one of three finalists for the 2025 Jim Gregory Award. Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the other finalists announced Friday by the NHL for the award given annually to the league's top GM. Cheveldayoff, a runner-up for the award in 2018, built a team that won the Presidents' Trophy as the top regular-season team with a franchise-best 56-22-4 record. His first move of the off-season was hiring Scott Arneil as head coach. Arniel is a finalist for the Jack Adams award, given to the league's top coach. He acquired winger Brandon Tanev and defenceman Luke Schenn at the trade deadline to add to a core that included forwards Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and captain Adam Lowry, defenceman Josh Morrissey and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — all Cheveldayoff draft picks. Story continues below advertisement The Jets advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs, where they were defeated in six games by Nill's Stars. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Dallas (50-26-6, 106 points) finished fifth in the NHL's overall standings during the regular season, marking the first time the franchise posted a top-five finish in consecutive seasons since the Presidents' Trophy-winning teams in 1997-98 and 1998-99. Nill strengthened the roster for the playoffs with the acquisition of winger Mikko Rantanen from Carolina at the March 7 trade deadline. Nill is a finalist for a record fifth time, winning the award in 2023 and 2024. The Stars led the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 in the Western Conference final heading into Game 2 on Friday. Zito and the defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers posted a 98-point regular season (47-31-4), good for third in the Atlantic Division, but showed their true quality in the playoffs by eliminating Tampa Bay and Toronto to advance to the Eastern Conference final for a third straight year. The Panthers currently lead the conference final 2-0 over the Hurricanes after dominating the opening two games in Raleigh, North Carolina. Zito is a finalist for the third straight season and fourth time overall, finishing third in voting in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Story continues below advertisement The NHL's GM of the year award was renamed in 2019-20 in honour of Jim Gregory, the 2007 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who served as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager and a league executive for four decades.
Winnipeg Free Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets' Cheveldayoff a finalist for NHL general manager of the year with Nill, Zito
NEW YORK – Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is one of three finalists for the 2025 Jim Gregory Award. Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the other finalists announced Friday by the NHL for the award given annually to the league's top GM. Cheveldayoff, a runner-up for the award in 2018, built a team that won the Presidents' Trophy as the top regular-season team with a franchise-best 56-22-4 record. His first move of the off-season was hiring Scott Arneil as head coach. Arniel is a finalist for the Jack Adams award, given to the league's top coach. He acquired winger Brandon Tanev and defenceman Luke Schenn at the trade deadline to add to a core that included forwards Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and captain Adam Lowry, defenceman Josh Morrissey and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — all Cheveldayoff draft picks. The Jets advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs, where they were defeated in six games by Nill's Stars. Dallas (50-26-6, 106 points) finished fifth in the NHL's overall standings during the regular season, marking the first time the franchise posted a top-five finish in consecutive seasons since the Presidents' Trophy-winning teams in 1997-98 and 1998-99. Nill strengthened the roster for the playoffs with the acquisition of winger Mikko Rantanen from Carolina at the March 7 trade deadline. Nill is a finalist for a record fifth time, winning the award in 2023 and 2024. The Stars led the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 in the Western Conference final heading into Game 2 on Friday. Zito and the defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers posted a 98-point regular season (47-31-4), good for third in the Atlantic Division, but showed their true quality in the playoffs by eliminating Tampa Bay and Toronto to advance to the Eastern Conference final for a third straight year. The Panthers currently lead the conference final 2-0 over the Hurricanes after dominating the opening two games in Raleigh, North Carolina. Zito is a finalist for the third straight season and fourth time overall, finishing third in voting in 2021, 2023 and 2024. The NHL's GM of the year award was renamed in 2019-20 in honour of Jim Gregory, the 2007 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who served as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager and a league executive for four decades. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025.
