List of National Hockey League General Managers

The term "general manager" (GM) in the National Hockey League denotes the executive charged with assembling and managing a club's playing roster and hockey operations. In the NHL, the GM commonly handles player transactions, negotiations over contracts, and strategic decisions that shape on-ice performance. The office sits at the center of a team’s competitive and roster policy within the broader framework of the league and its collective bargaining agreement. See the league for official context: National Hockey League.

Core responsibilities typically include negotiating and approving player contracts, proposing and executing trades, managing the club’s salary cap commitments, selecting personnel in the amateur and entry drafts, and hiring or firing coaching staff and other hockey personnel. A GM often coordinates closely with coaches and scouts and works with legal and business departments on contract and salary-cap matters. Public communications about roster moves are also frequently routed through the GM or their office.

Appointment and organizational position. General managers are usually appointed by a team’s ownership or president and report to that authority. Some clubs combine roles (for example, president of hockey operations plus GM) or separate duties across several executives. Teams may also have assistant general managers, directors of scouting, and other specialists who support the GM in evaluation and transactions. Contractual and league rules, including those arising from the collective bargaining agreement, affect what GMs can and cannot do; for example, restrictions on tampering and timing of signings.