NHL GMs Cheveldayoff, Nill, Zito Named Jim Gregory Award Finalists

Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets, and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the finalists for the 2024-25 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, which honors the NHL's top general manager. Nill, a finalist for a record fifth time and winner in the past two seasons, led the Stars to a top-five regular season finish and a third consecutive appearance in the Western Conference finals, highlighted by bold acquisitions like Mikko Rantanen. Cheveldayoff guided the Jets to the Presidents’ Trophy as the league's best regular-season team, despite minimal offseason moves, and made strategic deadline additions such as Luke Schenn and Brandon Tanev. Zito, a four-time finalist in five years, oversaw the Panthers' return to the Eastern Conference Final and ensured the retention of key players following their championship season, making notable moves at the trade deadline. The award, determined by NHL executives, general managers, and media, recognizes not just regular-season success but also roster management and playoff performance. All three finalists demonstrated strong leadership, strategic player acquisitions, and consistent postseason success for their franchises.