SenShot NHL Awards Preview: Jack Adams Award
So finally, tonight is the night that the two night extravaganza begins with the toned-down awards show. Tonight will see about half of the hardware handed out live on the NHL network and NHL.com, with the rest being given out tomorrow night before Game 2.
So we continue on with the awarding of our own awards prior to finding out who wins. We have already awarded theNorris, Vezina, Calder, Selke, Lady Byng, Messier, GM of the Year and Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Today we honour the best the men behind the Bench.
THE JACK ADAMS AWARD
AWARDED TO: “the NHL coach judged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.” – NHL.com
VOTED BY: NHL Broadcasters Association
THE NOMINEES ARE:
BRUCE BOUDREAU: After taking over in December of 2011 and not being able to get the Ducks into a playoff position, Bruce Boudreau made up for that, guiding Anaheim to a stellar season where they finished second in the West to the Blackhawks. He won the Jack Adams with the Capitals in 2008.
PAUL MACLEAN: For the second year in a row, Paul MacLean worked magic with the Ottawa Senators. Last season he was a nominee in his first year as an NHL head coach by guiding a team that most predicted to finish dead last into the playoffs. This season, he again led his team to the postseason despite an incredible rash of long-term injuries to 4 of the club’s top 5 players.
JOEL QUENNEVILLE: A record setting start to the season and a President’s Trophy are the highlights of Joel Quenneville‘s season at the helm of the Chicago Blackhawks. Quenneville also won the Jack Adams as coach of the President’s Trophy winning St. Louis Blues in 2000.
AND THE WINNER IS:
May 24, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean gestures on the bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in game five of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 6-2 to close out the series. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
In unanimous fashion, and perhaps with a little bias, SenShot selects Paul MacLean as the winner of the Jack Adams. When everyone had the Senators written off at various points during the season, MacLean (with the help of Daniel Alfredsson) willed the team to carry on and despite a couple of down times they didn’t miss a beat. At one point more than half of the Senators already low payroll was on the IR, and the club still qualified for the post-season. If he doesn’t win the award, there is something wrong with the system. This should be the biggest no-brainer short of giving the Masterton to Josh Harding.