The Most Powerful Behind-the-Scenes Names in the NHL

NHL hockey is some of the most exciting action in professional sports, but it is also a business that has a lot of powerful players behind the scenes. While Gary Bettman is viewed as one of the most powerful players in the business, he has a prominent role.

Owners, general managers and other league officials all have some form of pull behind the scenes, and here are the most powerful people in the league.

John Collins

Position: Chief operating officer of NHL

John Collins is a powerful business executive that does a ton of work behind the scenes. While Bill Daly and Gary Bettman are taking center stages at press conferences, Collins has had his hands in many things to promote the league.

Besides constructing a television deal with NBC, Collins is the man who brought the Winter Classic to life, helped create 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic with HBO and is behind many other social media initiatives on NHL.com.

Collins is a powerful leader and someone who could become the next commissioner of the NHL.

Brian Burke

Position: Senior advisor to the Board of Directors of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment 

Although Brian Burke is known for his tenure as general manager of the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks and most recently the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is a former executive vice president and director of hockey operations.

Burke is one of the most powerful men in hockey, and his ties to both players as a former player agent and the league as an executive gives him a lot of pull,

Given his experience, it wouldn't be surprising to see him as a potential replacement as commissioner once Gary Bettman retires.

Jeremy Jacobs

Position: Owner of Boston Bruins

Jeremy Jacobs is the owner of the Boston Bruins, and the most recent lockout should illustrate how important and powerful he is behind the scenes. Jacobs is the chairman of the league's Board of Governors and a man with a ton of pull.

Glen Sather

Position: New York Rangers' GM

Glen Sather is the longest tenured GM in the NHL today, as the Rangers' current GM was a league executive in 1979.

Throughout his tenure in the league, Sather has been a respected hockey man who has a ton of knowledge about the game. Given his experience and character, Sather has become one of the most powerful behind-the-scene names in the NHL.

Lou Lamoriello

Position: President and GM of New Jersey Devils

Lou Lamoriello is one of the longest tenured GMs in the NHL, and he has been one of the most successful hockey executives in recent memory. During his tenure, the Devils have only missed the playoffs three times, and they have won three Stanley Cups.

As a tenured executive with ties to the executives of the NHL, Lamoriello is a respected and powerful player behind the scenes.

David Poile

Position: GM of Nashville Predators

During the last lockout, the NHL side was led by stalwarts like Jeremy Jacobs and Gary Bettman, but David Poile could be considered another person who had some influence as well.

As a tenured hockey executive that has done everything the NHL has asked him, he is a man with a lot of power and influence behind the scenes.

Brendan Shanahan

Position: Vice president of Hockey and Business Development, Player Safety

Brendan Shanahan has a very important position as the league's head disciplinarian. Shanahan oversees the player safety side of the NHL, and he dishes out appropriate fines and suspensions based on illegal hits and acts.

If Shanahan remains with the league for an extended period of time, he could potentially become the league's commissioner in the future.

Colin Campbell

Position: Director of Hockey Operations, senior vice president

Colin "The Sheriff" Campbell is the former head disciplinarian of the NHL, but he is currently the director of all hockey ops for the NHL.

As a senior VP, Campbell has earned a ton of experience and trust over the years, and his opinion is highly valued behind the scenes.

Wayne Gretzky

Position: Former player/head coach

Although Wayne Gretzky currently has no affiliation in an executive capacity with the NHL, he is one of the most powerful players behind the scenes.

As the greatest player of all-time, Gretzky is a respected voice and advocate for the game and someone who will eventually take a position with the league in some capacity.