The NHL's awards season continued Thursday with the announcement of the three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, which is given to the NHL's coach of the year. The three finalists for this season: coach Lindy Ruff, coach Barry Trotz and coach Gerard Gallant. That is the coaches from the top two teams in the regular season and one of the more surprising teams in the league. As much of an honor
Guillaume Brisebois Jersey as it might be, this is the one award that it probably doesn't pay to win. Three of the past five winners are no longer behind the bench of the team they won the award with. That includes the 2015 winner, Bob Hartley, who was fired by the Calgary Flames .
Thatcher Demko Jersey Let's take a little closer look at the three finalists. Lindy Ruff, Dallas Stars: Ruff is the only one of the three that has won the award before, winning it during the 2005-06 season with the Buffalo Sabres. The Stars went from being on the outside of the playoffs a year ago to the top spot in the Western Conference at the end of the regular season. Ruff is in
Pavel Bure Jersey his third year behind the Stars bench and since he has arrived they have been the best offensive team in hockey. Barry Trotz, Washington Capitals: The Capitals were the NHL's best team during the regular season and set a franchise record with 56 wins. The team finished the season second in goals for, second in goals against and was 11 points better in the standings than any other team during the regular season. Gerard Gallant, Florida Panthers: Gallant just completed his second season behind the Panthers bench with the team showing
Nick Cicek Jersey significant improvement in each of his seasons with the team. In his first year they finished with 91 points, a 25-point improvement from the previous year, and then came back in 2015-16 and surprisingly won the Atlantic Division title and qualified for the playoffs for just the fifth time in the franchise's 22-year existence. Their 103 points were a team record. Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff is a finalist
Arshdeep Bains Jersey for the NHL coach of the year award. (USATSI)
