Julien BriseBois, Joe Sakic, and Chris Drury named GM of the Year finalists

Three of the four general managers who reached the Conference Finals are finalists for the Jim Gregory Award for GM of the Year.

The finalists are Julien BriseBois of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche, and Chris Drury of the New York Rangers.

Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders won the Jim Gregory Award in back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021 and any of Drury, BriseBois, and Sakic would be first-time winners.

Drury was promoted to general manager of the Rangers last May when the organization fired John Davidson and Jeff Gorton. The Rangers went from missing the playoffs in 2021 to finishing 52-24-6 and reaching the Eastern Conference Final. Gerard Gallant, the team’s head coach, was named the Jack Adams Award winner.

Sakic and BriseBois’ teams, the Avalanche and Lightning, are currently playing in the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 while the Avs are looking for their first since 2001 when Sakic was the team’s captain.

The Jim Gregory Award was first handed out in 2009-10 and is voted on by a panel of league executives and print and broadcast media after the conclusion of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.