The Jack Adams Trophy 1973-Present.
Origins
Jack Adams was a Jac with the Toronto Arenas; he joined the Arenas in the NHL’s first year of play in 1917. He played 10 years in the NHL with the Toronto Arenas, Vancouver Millionaires, and the Ottawa Senators, winning the Stanley Cup twice as a player, once in 1917 with the Arenas and at the end of his playing career in 1927 with the Senators. He is the only individual to have won the Stanley Cup as a player, coach, and general manager.
He won the Stanley Cup as General Manager and head coach of the Detroit Red Wings in 1936,1937, and 1943. He won Lord Stanley again as a General Manager of the Red Wings in 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955.
The Jack Adams Trophy is named in honor of long-time coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, Jack Adams. He is remembered for his 36-year affiliation with the Red Wings. He held the record for the winningest coach in Red Wings history (413 wins) until Mike Babcock eclipsed him (458 wins) in 2014.
Adams is greatly responsible for helping build the Red Wings into a powerhouse during his tenure and is remembered for signing Gordie Howe.
Jack Adams was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959 as a player.
The Trophy
The trophy is a multi-tiered construct with the two lower levels made of wood adorned with rectangular plaques inscribed with past winners’ names. The bottom tier holds 22 plaques, and the top tier consists of 18 plaques. The silver bowl rests on a square wooden base that is as tall as the bottom two tiers combined. It is affixed with a large plaque commemorating the trophy’s namesake with two silver pucks on either side of it: the bowl itself has two ostentatious handles and a relief at the bottom. The lid boasts a hockey card portrait of Adams.
The First Winner
Fred Shero of the Philadelphia Flyers was the first winner of the Jack Adams award for the 1973-74 coach of the year; he was a controversial choice at the time as many in the NHL community felt that his team bullied and intimidated their way to a Stanley Cup which was a style of play that his peers and hockey pundits widely condemned.
The Jack Adams Trophy 1973-Present History
The Adams Trophy is blanketed in superstition, as many believe that winning it is the kiss of death. Coaches are hired to be fired, and winning the Adams Award seals your fate, or so they say.
The Jack Adams Trophy entered the NHL as a gift from the NHL Broadcasters Association in 1974. It has been awarded 40 times to 34 coaches. The winner is determined by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association.
Pat Burns is the only coach to have won the award with three different teams; he accomplished it with three original six clubs, the Montreal Canadians 1988-89, the Toronto Maple Leafs 1992-93, and the Boston Bruins 1997-98. Jacques Demers is the only one to win it consecutively, with Detroit in (1986-88). Pat Quinn, Scotty Bowman, John Tortorella, and Barry Trotz are the only other dual winners. Winning the Adams Trophy does not correlate to winning the Stanley Cup; the award is primarily given to the coach that significantly advances his team in the standings or a coach that greatly improves a mediocre team. Only three coaches have won the award and won the Stanley Cup; Fred Shero 1973-74, Scotty Bowman 1976-77, and John Tortorella 2003-04. No coach has ever won the trophy without making it into the postseason.
Five coaches have won the award with two teams: Jacques Lemaire, Pat Quinn, Scotty Bowman, John Tortorella, and Barry Trotz. The franchises with the most wins are the Philadelphia Flyers (4), Detroit Red Wings (4), Boston Bruins (4), St. Louis Blues (4), and the Phoenix Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets (4). Twice with each franchise.
The closest vote occurred in 2006 when winner Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres edged Peter Laviolette of the Carolina Hurricanes by one point.
Keep Your Stick on the Ice.
Jack Adams Trophy 1974-Present
- Jack Adams Trophy 1973-Present
- 2022: Darryl Sutter, Calgary Flames
- 2021: Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2020: Bruce Cassidy, Boston Bruins
- 2019: Barry Trotz, New York Islanders
- 2018: Gerard Gallant, Vegas Golden Knights
- 2017: John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
- 2016: Barry Trotz, Washington Capitals
- 2015: Bob Hartley, Calgary Flames
- 2014: Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche
- 2013: Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators
- 2012: Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis Blues
- 2011: Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2010: Dave Tippett, Phoenix Coyotes
- 2009: Claude Julien, Boston Bruins
- 2008: Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
- 2007: Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks
- 2006: Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres
- 2004: John Tortorella, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2003: Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota Wild
- 2002: Bob Francis, Phoenix Coyotes
- 2001: Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers
- 2000: Joel Quenneville, St. Louis Blues
- 1999: Jacques Martin, Ottawa Senators
- 1998: Pat Burns, Boston Bruins
- 1997: Ted Nolan, Buffalo Sabres
- 1996: Scotty Bowman, Detroit Red Wings
- 1995: Marc Crawford, Quebec Nordiques
- 1994: Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils
- 1993: Pat Burns, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1992: Pat Quinn, Vancouver Canucks
- 1991: Brian Sutter, St. Louis Blues
- 1990: Bob Murdoch, Winnipeg Jets
- 1989: Pat Burns, Montreal Canadiens
- 1988: Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings
- 1987: Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings
- 1986: Glen Sather, Edmonton Oilers
- 1985: Mike Keenan, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1984: Bryan Murray, Washington Capitals
- 1983: Orval Tessier, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1982: Tom Watt, Winnipeg Jets
- 1981: Red Berenson, St. Louis Blues
- 1980: Pat Quinn, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1979: Al Arbour, New York Islanders
- 1978: Bobby Kromm, Detroit Red Wings
- 1977: Scotty Bowman, Montreal Canadiens
- 1976: Don Cherry, Boston Bruins
- 1975: Bob Pulford, Los Angeles Kings
- 1974: Fred Shero, Philadelphia Flyers
NHL Tough Guy’s (Chris “Knuckles” Nilan)
Jack Adams Trophy 1973-Present
