NHL's top GM award features three first-time finalists

Field Level Media|published: Tue 12th May, 13:17 2026

Dec 13, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild general manger Bill Guerin addresses the media about acquiring defensemen Quinn Hughes via trade from the Vancouver Canucks before a game against the Ottawa Senators at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

All three candidates for the 2025-26 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award are first-time finalists.

Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild, Chris MacFarland of the Colorado Avalanche and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks were named on Tuesday. Presented annually since 2009-10, the award is voted on by the league's GMs and a panel of NHL executives and media members.

Guerin, 55, made a big trade in December to acquire defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. He also signed Nico Sturm and traded for fellow forward Vladimir Tarasenko in the offseason and acquired forwards Bobby Brink and Nick Foligno and defenseman Jeff Petry prior to the 2026 trade deadline.

MacFarland, 56, helped the Avalanche finish with the best record in the NHL at 55-16-11. He bolstered the roster by signing defenseman Brent Burns in the offseason and acquiring forwards Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Roy and blueliners Brett Kulak and Nick Blankenburg ahead of the trade deadline.

Verbeek, 61, assembled a Ducks squad that secured its first playoff berth since 2018 and set a franchise record with 265 goals. He hired coach Joel Quenneville prior to the season and brought in defenseman John Carlson and forwards Mikael Granlund, Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier.

Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars won the award in each of the past three seasons.

--Field Level Media

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