The National Hockey League (NHL) is known for its prestigious awards given out to players and coaches who excel in their roles on the ice. One such award is the Jack Adams Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success.”
The Jack Adams Trophy was first awarded in 1974 in honor of Jack Adams, a former coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. Adams was a successful coach, leading the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships in the 1930s and 1940s. He was also the general manager of the team for 36 years and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.
The trophy itself is a silver bowl measuring 12 inches high and 8 inches in diameter. It sits on a wooden base and is engraved with the names of the winning coaches. The trophy is presented each year at the NHL Awards ceremony, which takes place after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Jack Adams Trophy is awarded based on votes from the NHL Broadcasters’ Association at the end of the regular season. Each member of the Association casts a vote for the coach they believe has contributed the most to his team’s success. The votes are then tallied, and the coach with the most votes is declared the winner.
Over the years, some of the NHL’s most successful coaches have won the Jack Adams Trophy. The first recipient of the award was Fred Shero of the Philadelphia Flyers. Shero led the Flyers to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 1974 and won the Jack Adams Trophy again in 1976.
Other notable winners include Scotty Bowman, who won the award four times with three different teams, and Pat Burns, who won the award three times with three different teams. In recent years, coaches such as Barry Trotz, Gerard Gallant, and Bruce Cassidy have been recognized for their contributions to their respective teams.
Winning the Jack Adams Trophy is a significant achievement for any NHL coach. It recognizes the hard work and dedication that coaches put into their teams throughout the season. It also reflects the impact that a coach can have on a team’s success, both on and off the ice.
In conclusion, the Jack Adams Trophy is a highly regarded award in the NHL, recognizing the contributions of coaches to their teams’ success. The trophy is named after a legendary coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, and it has been awarded to some of the most successful coaches in NHL history. Winning the Jack Adams Trophy is a significant accomplishment for any coach and reflects the impact that they can have on their team’s success.
- 1974 – Fred Shero, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1975 – Bobby Kromm, Detroit Red Wings
- 1976 – Fred Shero, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1977 – Emile Francis, St. Louis Blues
- 1978 – Scotty Bowman, Buffalo Sabres
- 1979 – Al Arbour, New York Islanders
- 1980 – Pat Quinn, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1981 – Harry Neale, Vancouver Canucks
- 1982 – Tom Watt, Winnipeg Jets
- 1983 – Orval Tessier, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1984 – Bryan Murray, Washington Capitals
- 1985 – Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings
- 1986 – Glen Sather, Edmonton Oilers
- 1987 – Jacques Lemaire, Montreal Canadiens
- 1988 – Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings
- 1989 – Pat Burns, Montreal Canadiens
- 1990 – Bob Murdoch, Winnipeg Jets
- 1991 – Brian Sutter, St. Louis Blues
- 1992 – Pat Quinn, Vancouver Canucks
- 1993 – Pat Burns, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1994 – Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils
- 1995 – Marc Crawford, Quebec Nordiques
- 1996 – Scotty Bowman, Detroit Red Wings
- 1997 – Ted Nolan, Buffalo Sabres
- 1998 – Jacques Martin, Ottawa Senators
- 1999 – Jacques Martin, Ottawa Senators
- 2000 – Joel Quenneville, St. Louis Blues
- 2001 – Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers
- 2002 – Bob Francis, Phoenix Coyotes
- 2003 – Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota Wild
- 2004 – John Tortorella, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2005 – No award (NHL lockout)
- 2006 – Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres
- 2007 – Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks
- 2008 – Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
- 2009 – Claude Julien, Boston Bruins
- 2010 – Dave Tippett, Phoenix Coyotes
- 2011 – Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2012 – Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis Blues
- 2013 – Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators
- 2014 – Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche
- 2015 – Bob Hartley, Calgary Flames
- 2016 – Barry Trotz, Washington Capitals
- 2017 – John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
- 2018 – Gerard Gallant, Vegas Golden Knights
- 2019 – Barry Trotz, New York Islanders
- 2020 – Bruce Cassidy, Boston Bruins
- 2021 – Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2022 – Darryl Sutter, Calgary Flames
