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NHL power rankings: Ranking each general manager heading into 2019

By Dave Stevenson

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Doug Armstrong holds the Stanley Cup following the Blues victory over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on June 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Doug Armstrong holds the Stanley Cup following the Blues victory over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on June 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Who are the best and worst general managers in the NHL? This week’s NHL power rankings rank each GM from worst to best.

Being an NHL general manager is a tough job. There are only 32 in the league. And it’s a job you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. General Managers get too much blame when things don’t go right, yet don’t get enough credit when things go right. A GM can be great, but if the owner doesn’t let him be great, they look bad. This week’s NHL power rankings will take a look at each general manager, from worst to best.

There are good general managers and bad ones. But all of them are flawed. This list is all about who is the least bad general manager.

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Let me go over my criteria very quickly. First of all, I’m only counting the last five years. What some GM did 15 years ago is probably not relevant to how good they are right now. Secondly, general managers make both good moves and bad moves. How tilted is the scale? Is it more towards “good” or is it trending towards “bad”?

Thirdly, each general manager is trying to do something different. Some GMs are trying to win. Others are trying to accumulate assets. There are some who are wading in both pools. How good are they at accomplishing what I feel they are trying to accomplish?

But most of all, the big question was “how much does this GM help his team”. Being an NHL general manager is a huge responsibility. There’s a lot involved in it, including getting the right pieces for your coach. The best GMs are those that work effectively with their coaching staff and organization.

I’ve separated this list into tiers because, honestly, the difference between the 20th-best GM and the 25th-best GM is minuscule at best. I wouldn’t get too worked up about one general manager being ranked 16th and the other one at 15th. The important thing is what tier they are in. So let’s get to it.

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