Per the press release, voting for this award was conducted among the NHL general managers and a panel of League executives, print and broadcast media at the conclusion of Round 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On May 24, the NHL announced that the three finalists for the 2022-23 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award are Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins, and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers. One name notably missing is New Jersey Devils GM, Tom Fitzgerald.
In this article, we will look at each GM's accomplishments this season, according to the NHL's press release, and compare them to Fitzgerald, who undoubtedly deserves recognition for the work he put in.
Jim Nill, Dallas Stars
- The Stars earned a 2022-23 record of 47-21-14 and posted 108 points, their highest total since the 2015-16 season.
- His most significant offseason move was signing head coach Peter DeBoer, who earlier this month joined Scotty Bowman as the second head coach in NHL history to guide four franchises to the Conference Finals/Semifinals.
- Signed left wing Mason Marchment and defenseman Colin Miller during the offseason; extended the contracts of goaltender Jake Oettinger and left wing Jason Robertson.
- Traded for right wing Evgenii Dadonov, center Max Domi, and defenseman Nils Lundkvist.
- Several of his draft picks have made key contributions during their run to the Conference Finals, including leading scorer Roope Hintz (No. 49 overall in 2015); a trio of franchise-altering picks from 2017: defenseman Miro Heiskanen (No. 3), Oettinger (No. 26) and Robertson (No. 39); and recent Game 7 hero Wyatt Johnston (No. 23 in 2021).
Don Sweeney, Boston Bruins
- He oversaw a Bruins team (65-12-5, 135 points) that rewrote the NHL's record book this season.
- Hired Jack Adams Award finalist Jim Montgomery during the offseason.
- His team sat atop the Atlantic Division from start to finish becoming just the fourth team in the League's modern era (since 1943-44) to lead wire-to-wire.
- The Bruins set NHL records for single-season wins (65) and points (135), including a League-record 14-game home winning streak from the start of the campaign.
- Boston also had a +128 goal differential (including shootout-deciding goals), the highest by any team since 1995-96 (DET, +144).
- He re-signed center Patrice Bergeron, brought back free agent center David Krejci and traded for center Pavel Zacha during the offseason. Additionally, he signed right wing David Pastrnak to an eight-year extension.
- Prior to the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, he acquired right-wing Garnet Hathaway and defenseman Dmitry Orlov (from WSH), as well as left-wing Tyler Bertuzzi (from DET).
Bill Zito, Florida Panthers
- The Panthers (42-32-8, 92 points) have advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since the 1995-96 season.
- Signed head coach Paul Maurice, who completed 2022-23 sixth on the NHL's all-time coaching wins list (817) in 25 total seasons behind the bench.
- Made a blockbuster trade to acquire and extend left wing Matthew Tkachuk, who went on to rank seventh in the NHL with 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists) during the regular season.
- Made several other significant offseason moves, including signing free agents Nick Cousins, Alex Lyon, Eric Staal, Marc Staal, and Colin White.
How does Fitzgerald Stack Up?
Fitzgerald's club finished the 2022-23 campaign with a record of 52-22-8 and 112 points. They surpassed expectations and made it to Round 2 of the 2023 Stanely Cup Playoffs. In addition to setting multiple franchise records, the club set an NHL record with their 49-point improvement from the 2021-22 season.
Despite finishing the 2021-22 campaign 28th in the league, Fitzgerald stuck to his game plan and kept Lindy Ruff as his head coach. The GM improved his staff by hiring Andrew Brunette, a former Jack Adams finalist, Ryan McGill, and Sergei Brylin.
When it came to his roster, Fitzgerald focused on his club's most significant need and traded for and signed goaltender Vitek Vanecek. The 27-year-old's regular season performance helped the team return to the postseason. Eventually, he joined Martin Brodeur as the only goaltender in Devils' history to earn 30 or more wins in a single season.
After the 2021-22 campaign, multiple players, including Miles Wood, spoke to the media about the team being too young at times and needing more of a veteran presence in the locker room. Fitzgerald went to work and signed free agents Brendan Smith and Ondrej Palat.
Regarding trades made, he swapped Pavel Zacha for Erik Haula and moved Ty Smith and a draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for John Marino. Before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, Fitzgerald acquired Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks without sacrificing Alexander Holtz, Simon Nemec, Dawson Mercer, or Luke Hughes.
As far as draft picks are concerned, Fitzgerald was named the full-time GM of the Devils on July 9, 2020. In his first draft, which took place in October 2020, his selections included Holtz, Mercer, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Nico Daws. Since then, he also added top defensive prospects Luke Hughes and Nemec to his organization.
Mukhamadullin eventually turned into Timo Meier as he was a key part of the multi-player deal. Even though he was held off the scoresheet, the former Sharks forward played a massive role in the team's Round 1 victory over the New York Rangers. In the first postseason appearance of Mercer's career, he collected seven points (three goals, four assists) in 12 games. His point total was tied with Nico Hischier and Ondrej Palat for second-best on the team behind Jack Hughes.
One thing that stuck out when reviewing the press release was the mention of Zito "continuing the upward trajectory that has defined his three years in South Florida." That same logic can be applied to Fitzgerald, who has transformed the team's roster since taking over the reins.
It is hard to believe that Fitzgerald did not get the nod this season for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The good news is it's only a matter of time before he gets recognition among his peers as the Devils continue their own upward trajectory and become a consistently competitive team.