The three finalists were announced during the 2022 NHL Awards from Tampa on Tuesday.
The award is presented annually to the general manager who best excelled at his role during the regular season. It is voted on by the League's general managers and a panel of NHL executives and print and broadcast media after the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The winner will be revealed during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre in Montreal on July 7-8. The first round is July 7 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are July 8 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).
BriseBois, in his fourth season as GM after replacing Steve Yzerman on Sept. 11, 2018, has the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season. They could become the first NHL team to win three straight championships since the New York Islanders won four straight from 1980-83. The Lightning finished third in the Atlantic Division (51-23-8) and are the first team to reach the Cup Final in three consecutive seasons since the Edmonton Oilers from 1983-85.
The Lightning fortified their back-to-back championship teams by signing free agent goalie Brian Elliott on July 28 to back up Andrei Vasilevskiy, and forward Corey Perry the next day. Tampa Bay was also busy prior to the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, acquiring forwards Brandon Hagel (from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 18) and Nicholas Paul (from the Ottawa Senators on March 20).
Drury was promoted to president and general manager May 5, 2021 after president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton were fired. The Rangers hired Gerard Gallant to replace David Quinn as coach June 16, 2021, finished second in the Metropolitan Division (52-24-6) and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final, where they lost to the Lightning in six games.
Free agent forward Barclay Goodrow was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay on July 17 and agreed to a six-year contract five days later, and forward Ryan Reaves was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on July 29 and signed a one-year contract two days later.
New York also signed top-line center Mika Zibanejad (eight years) and Adam Fox (seven years), who won the Norris Trophy last season voted as the best defenseman in the NHL, to long-term contracts. The Rangers strengthened their roster before the deadline, trading for forwards Frank Vatrano (from the Florida Panthers on March 16), Andrew Copp (from the Winnipeg Jets on March 21) and Tyler Motte (from the Vancouver Canucks on March 21), and defenseman Justin Braun (from the Philadelphia Flyers on March 21).
Gallant was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as top coach, won by Darryl Sutter of the Calgary Flames.
"Drury] is outstanding," said Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy voted as the best at his position on Tuesday. "So he did a really great job this season. That's why we played in the Conference Finals. He [made
, voted as the best defenseman in the NHL, on Tuesday.
NHL staff writers Tracey Myers and William Douglas contributed to this report
