The 3 Best General Managers in the NHL

Critiquing the job done by an NHL general manager is a difficult task. So much of the string-pulling that is done behind the scenes by these master puppeteers is never seen by the public. The successes and failures of their daily battles are rarely revealed, and the faces these enigmatic men put on for the media is likely much different from the one they wear in the boardroom. Still, even without a clear understanding of exactly how they go about their business, the fans, who ultimately pay these men's salaries, can sit in judgment of them, using the only measuring stick that really matters in professional sports: results.

When it comes to consistent results over the past decade no other GM can boast the track record of Ken Holland, general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings have had the uncanny, almost psychic ability to evaluate foreign talent, and recognize which players will be able to transition their game to the NHL style. Year after year, despite almost always having a late round draft pick, they manage to steal another budding superstar out from under the noses of his 29 competitors. Much of the credit must naturally go to his excellent scouting staff for this success, but it is Holland that oversees them, and ultimately put them in place. By building from within while recognizing when to add key pieces and key times, Holland has managed to build a team that consistently finishes at or near the top of the NHL, and is a perennial favorite to bring home the Stanley Cup.