The NHL’s 31 General Managers: Who they are, when they started & how they’ve done

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Here’s a team-by-team listing of the NHL’s 31 GMs, including when they were hired, their win-loss record and points percentage.

George McPhee was named the GM of the Year in 2018 after expansion Vegas made it to the Stanley Cup final.|Getty Images

David Poile took over as GM of the expansion Nashville Predators on July 9, 1997. Nine days later, Ken Holland was installed as GM of the Detroit Red Wings on July 18, 1997. And with more than 20 years at the head of their respective franchises, Poile and Holland are – by far – the longest-tenured GMs in the NHL today. The next-closest is San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson, who has about 15 years of experience after being hired in May 2003.

On the other hand, 11 of the league’s 31 GMs have been on the job for less than two seasons. This includes the Edmonton Oilers’ Keith Gretzky, who takes over on an interim basis from the fired Peter Chiarelli; the Florida Panthers’ Dale Tallon, who returned to the GM role in April 2017 after previously holding the post from 2010 to 2016; and, the Vegas Golden Knights’ George McPhee, who was hired as GM in July 2016 but the team didn’t begin play until last season.

With Chiarelli getting the axe on Tuesday night – the second GM to be fired this season after the Philadelphia Flyers parted ways with franchise icon Ron Hextall on Nov. 26 – here’s an updated look at the men in charge of the NHL’s 31 franchises, including the date they were hired, their win-loss record and points percentage.

Anaheim Ducks: Bob Murray
Hired: Nov. 12, 2008
Record: 445-273-100
Points percentage: .605

Arizona Coyotes: John Chayka
Hired: May 2016
Record: 82-105-26
Points percentage: .446

Boston Bruins: Don Sweeney
Hired: May 2015
Record: 163-99-33
Points percentage: .608

Buffalo Sabres: Jason Botterill
Hired: May 2017
Record: 49-63-18
Points percentage: .446

Calgary Flames: Brad Treliving
Hired: April 2014
Record: 195-151-33
Points percentage: .558

Carolina Hurricanes: Don Waddell
Hired: May 2018
Record: 23-20-6
Points percentage: .531

Chicago Blackhawks: Stan Bowman
Hired: July 2009
Record: 419-245-91
Points percentage: .615

Colorado Avalanche: Joe Sakic
Hired: September 2014
Record: 165-175-37
Points percentage: .487

Columbus Blue Jackets: Jarmo Kekalainen
Hired: Feb. 13, 2013
Record: 262-188-45
Points percentage: .575

Dallas Stars: Jim Nill
Hired: April 2013
Record: 231-175-53
Points percentage: .561

Detroit Red Wings: Ken Holland
Hired: July 1997
Record: 912-508-237
Points percentage: .622

Edmonton Oilers: Keith Gretzky (interim)
Hired: Jan. 23, 2019
Record: 0-0-0
Points percentage: n/a

Florida Panthers: Dale Tallon
Hired: April 2017
Record: 64-50-16
Points percentage: .554

Los Angeles: Rob Blake
Hired: April 2017
Record: 65-55-12
Points percentage: .538

Minnesota Wild: Paul Fenton
Hired: May 2018
Record: 25-21-3
Points percentage: .541

Montreal Canadiens: Marc Bergevin
Hired: May 2012
Record: 266-186-56
Points percentage: .579

Nashville Predators: David Poile
Hired: July 1997
Record: 768-596-211
Points percentage: .555

New Jersey Devils: Ray Shero
Hired: May 2015
Record: 128-128-38
Points percentage: .500

New York Islanders: Lou Lamoriello
Hired: June 2018
Record: 29-15-5
Points percentage: .643

New York Rangers: Jeff Gorton
Hired: July 2015
Record: 103-87-22
Points percentage: .538

Ottawa Senators: Pierre Dorion
Hired: April 2016
Record: 91-97-26
Points percentage: .486

Philadelphia Flyers: Chuck Fletcher
Hired: Dec. 3, 2018
Record: 8-11-4
Points percentage: .435

Pittsburgh Penguins: Jim Rutherford
Hired: June 2014
Record: 214-119-43
Points percentage: .626

St. Louis Blues: Doug Armstrong
Hired: July 2010
Record: 379-226-65
Points percentage: .614

San Jose Sharks: Doug Wilson
Hired: May 2003
Record: 664-362-140
Points percentage: .630

Tampa Bay Lightning: Julien BriseBois
Hired: September 2018
Record: 37-10-2
Points percentage: .776

Toronto Maple Leafs: Kyle Dubas
Hired: May 2018
Record: 29-17-2
Points percentage: .625

Vancouver Canucks: Jim Benning
Hired: May 2014
Record: 163-171-44
Points percentage: .489

Vegas Golden Knights: George McPhee
Hired: July 2016
Record: 80-42-11
Points percentage: .643

Washington Capitals: Brian MacLellan
Hired: May 2014
Record: 232-105-40
Points percentage: .668

Winnipeg Jets: Kevin Cheveldayoff
Hired: June 2011
Record: 299-226-63
Points percentage: .562

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About the Author

Sam McCaig

Copy editor Sam McCaig rejoined The Hockey News in 2017 after previously working at THN from 1999 to 2010. His career high for goals in a season is one.