NEW YORK — Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders has won the Jim Gregory general manager of the year award for the second straight year, adding yet another keepsake to a stellar career.
The NHL 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 was fifth in voting by GMs, league executives and media members after the second round of the playoffs.
Lamoriello has built the stingy Islanders much like he did the New Jersey Devils in the 1980s and 1990s. New Jersey, built on defense and goaltending during Lamoriello’s tenure, won the Stanley Cup three times under his watch, and it won the Eastern Conference crown two more times before losing in the finals in 2001 and 2012. Lamoriello also held a front-office role with the Toronto Maple Leafs before settling in on Long Island.
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 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 it 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 1980s, trail the Tampa Bay 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.