How the Penguins' Jim Rutherford won the 2016 NHL GM of the Year

Jim Rutherford of the Pittsburgh Penguins won the 2015-16 NHL General Manager of the Year at Wednesday night’s awards show in Las Vegas.

En route to winning the 2016 Stanley Cup, Rutherford made a number of moves dating back to last summer that would help lead the Penguins to a fourth title. From trading for Phil Kessel to replacing Mike Johnston with Mike Sullivan to acquiring Trevor Daley, he remolded a team that went out in the playoffs last season in five games to the New York Rangers. 

"We got the big prize a week or 10 days ago. That was really the one we were looking for, but any time that a teams gets recognition with another award it’s an honor," Rutherford said. "Like I said when I received it, I view this really as a team award. It takes everybody involved in it. It takes all cylinders going and we’re very fortunate." 

Rutherford and his fellow general managers along with a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media voted on the award. Here’s how it all broke down:

Pts. (1st-2nd-3rd)

1. Jim Rutherford, PIT 90 (10-12-4)
2. Brian MacLellan, WSH 56 (6-7-5)
3. Jim Nill, DAL 55 (7-3-11)
4. Dale Tallon, FLA 50 (7-3-6)
5. Doug Armstrong, STL 39 (4-5-4)
6. Doug Wilson, SJS 38 (3-7-2)
7. Steve Yzerman, TBL 17 (2-1-4)
8. Stan Bowman, CHI 10 (1-1-2)
9. Ron Hextall, PHI 3 (0-1-0)
10. Don Maloney, ARI 1 (0-0-1)
Bob Murray, ANA 1 (0-0-1) 

Keep in mind that the voting took place at the end of the second round of the playoffs. Given the Penguins advanced to the conference final, that certainly swung some votes as there were a number of solid choices in MacLellan, Nill and Tallon.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy

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