6 NHL GMs Who Are on the Hot Seat

It's not easy being a general manager in the NHL. The pressure to win is intense and there are always plenty of people eagerly waiting in line to take your job away.

In addition, the press and millions of fans across North America all think they know your business better than you do and feel free to tell you just that.

In some markets, the GM isn't even given a chance to strip a team down and begin a complete rebuild, which is usually the best way to get a lot of good, young talent into your lineup.

Each year, there is turnaround for the GMs of the NHL and this year should be no different. Here, in no particular order, is a look at six NHL GMs who are sweating it out on the hot seat as the new hockey season gets underway.

Jay Feaster, Calgary Flames

Jay Feaster took over as GM of the Calgary Flames in 2010-11 and has yet to do what almost every person outside the organization feels he must do: Trade away Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff and rebuild the team around new players.

Calgary has not made the playoffs in three seasons and has not won a round since their trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2003-04.

Another year without a postseason berth may make a total rebuild inevitable. It may also spell the end of Feaster's time as GM.

Chuck Fletcher, Minnesota Wild

The Wild have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.

GM Chuck Fletcher spent nearly $200 million this past summer on free agents Ryan Suter and Zach Parise in an effort to revitalize both the team and the enthusiasm of the fanbase.

If Minnesota fails to reach the postseason after spending all that money, it is likely Fletcher and Coach Mike Yeo won't be back next season.

Darcy Regier, Buffalo Sabres

Regier has been GM with the Sabres for 16 years now. Ownership raised the budget and spent freely in the summer of 2011, but the team failed to make the playoffs last season for the sixth time in 10 seasons.

A very slow start to this shortened season may be enough to cost both Regier and Coach Lindy Ruff their jobs. A failure to make the playoffs again would almost certainly spell the end of their tenures in Buffalo.

Dave Nonis, Toronto Maple Leafs

Dave Nonis took over as GM of the Maple Leafs earlier last week, and to many observers it seems like Nonis was hired on an interim basis after the surprise firing of Brian Burke.

Toronto has missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons, the longest slump in the history of this Original Six franchise.

If the Leafs fail to qualify again this season, then Nonis is almost certainly gone and will be replaced by someone who will begin a completely new regime.

Bob Murray, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks have missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, and GM Bob Murray faces a big challenge with both Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, two-thirds of the club's top line, eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.

If the Ducks stumble and miss the playoffs again and don't show concrete improvement, Murray may not be around to try to re-sign either player.

Greg Sherman, Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have missed the playoffs for three of the past four seasons and haven't won a playoff series since 2008.

GM Greg Sherman has rebuilt the team around young forwards like Paul Stastny, Gabriel Landeskog, Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly. He acquired goalie Semyon Varlamov last summer to be the franchise's goalie of the future, and this summer added setup man P.A. Parenteau.

The pieces are all in place and now it's time to win. If the Avs don't make the playoffs or at least take a big step forward, Sherman may very well lose his job.