Joe Sakic won many awards as a player, and now he has one as an executive. The Colorado Avalanche GM has won the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award. Sakic edged out Chris Drury of the New York Rangers and Julien Brisebois of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the award.
Sakic led the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title this year, and his work, especially this year, went a long way to getting them there. Savvy trades for Darcy Kuemper, Artturi Lehkonen, and Nazem Kadri provided the team with crucial difference-makers that all played a role on their cup run. His trade for Devon Toews especially is one of the most lopsided trades in recent NHL history. Sakic’s shrewd free-agent moves, highlighted by his acquisition of Valeri Nichushkin, helped support the core of players the Avalanche drafted.
Sakic, a Hall of Fame player, is now building an executive career that could eventually come to rival the success of his playing career. The Avalanche look like they could be contenders for many years to come, and they’re in that position thanks in large part to the work Sakic has done. Now, Sakic has even more recognition to show for that work, in addition to the Stanley Cup ring he won earlier this summer.