NEW YORK (AP) — Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders has won the Jim Gregory general manager of the year award for the second straight year.
The league announced Tuesday night that Lamoriello finished ahead of fellow finalists Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers. Colorado’s Joe Sakic was fourth and Vegas’ Kelly McCrimmon fifth in voting by GMs, league executives and media members after the second round of the playoffs.
Lamoriello’s Islanders are in the semifinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year, bolstered by the trade-deadline acquisitions of forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac. Palmieri, who had two goals and two assists in 17 games after his trade from New Jersey, has seven goals and two assists in 17 postseason games.
The 78-year-old Lamoriello, in his third season in charge of the Islanders following three years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, is the first two-time winner of the award that was first handed out in 2010.
New York has made the playoffs each year under Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz, and won at least one series each time after totaling one series win in the previous 25 years.
The Islanders, pursuing their first title since winning four in a row in the early 1980s, trail the Tampa Bay 3-2 heading into Game 6 of the semifinals at home on Wednesday night. If they go on to win the Cup, it’ll be a fourth title for Lamoriello, who won three times with New Jersey.
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