Hockey fans posted their first reactions to the NHL announcing the final nominees for the 2024–25 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets, Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers were named as the three finalists.
A winner will be officially announced on Friday, May 23.
Hockey Fans Have a Clear Favorite For the Award
Nill won the award last season for the second year in a row, a feat previously achieved only by Lou Lamoriello. Zito led the Panthers to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight year and is aiming for a third consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance. So, it makes sense that he is the clear fan favorite. Fans took to social media to express their feelings.
Better be Zito or it’s rigged.
— C.D. Jensen (@cdjensen85)
“If Zito doesn’t finally win it, get rid of the award,” a fan posted.
“This is the easiest by far. Just rename this the Jim Nill award already,” another fan said sarcastically.
“Should be bill zito for the last 3 years in a row,” another fan said.
Cheveldayoff was the clear third choice for most fans, despite the Winnipeg Jets winning the Presidents’ Trophy this season.
Surprised to see Chevy on the list tbh
— Shawn Gitche (@gitchliska)
Profiles of the Finalists
Cheveldayoff: Cheveldayoff guided the Jets to the best regular season in franchise history, securing the Presidents’ Trophy with a 56-22-4 record. He hired Scott Arniel as head coach, who led the team to a record-setting start and was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award. He is a finalist for the second time, after finishing as runner-up in 2017-18.
Nill: Nill’s Stars finished fifth overall in the NHL for the second consecutive season, a franchise first since the late 1990s. The team is in the Western Conference Finals for the third straight year. Nill’s acquisition of Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline was a major coup, with the Finnish player now the leading playoff scorer. Nill is a record five-time finalist and two-time consecutive winner of the award.
Zito: Zito’s Panthers posted a 98-point regular season but have excelled in the playoffs, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the third consecutive year. Zito rebuilt the roster with free agent signings and trade deadline acquisitions, including Seth Jones and Brad Marchand. He is a finalist for the third straight year and the fourth time in five years, a record for a GM in their first half-decade.
The league’s general managers, a panel of executives, and print and broadcast media voted after the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The NHL General Manager of the Year Award was first presented in 2009–10 and renamed in 2019–20 in honor of Jim Gregory, a Hockey Hall of Famer and longtime Toronto Maple Leafs GM and league executive.