Jack Adams Award Watch: March 31

Story posted March 31, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by Josh Bartosik

As the end of the regular season approaches, teams are looking to either solidify a playoff spot or a conference title down the stretch.

While the potential playoff teams are certainly loaded with talent, the impact of the man behind the bench is ever so important to a squad’s success.

Here are a few potential winners for the Jack Adams Award for the NHL’s Best Coach:

Gerard Gallant, New York Rangers

The Rangers have turned one of the fastest rebuilds in recent history and now find themselves second in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points. Their sudden jump to greatness is largely due to new head coach, Gerard Gallant.

Gallant was hired last summer after being abruptly fired by the Vegas Golden Knights in the midst of last season. The move by Vegas became more and more perplexing as Gallant has led the Rangers to a 22-6-3 record in Madison Square Garden along with a top-three powerplay in the league.

As the Broadway Blueshirts continue to stay hot and fight for a top spot in the Metro, the case for a shiny new trophy on Gallant’s bookshelf will only strengthen.

Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes

Last year’s Jack Adams winner is looking to run it back and he certainly has a case to do just that. The Hurricanes’ head coach has led his team to the top of the Metro and second in the league by means of relentless forechecking and the top-ranked penalty kill.

Brind’Amour has been one of the main reasons Carolina made the jump from a team with no direction to a perennial cup contender. The Hurricanes are looking to hoist the Cup for the first time in over 25 years, and they will look to their head coach to take them to the promised land.

Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins

Mike Sullivan has found a way to take what many people would consider a mediocre roster at best and turned it into a potential Stanley Cup contender.

The black and yellow find themselves sitting third in the Metro and top-10 in the league standings. This surprising performance becomes even more impressive when you realize that star center Sidney Crosby was inactive for the first month of the season due to injury.

Sullivan and the Penguins are familiar with hoisting the cup, as they did so in back to back years in 2016 and 2017. With several key players potentially hitting the open market this offseason, this may be their last chance at a cup with this core.

If they do, Sullivan should be one of if not the frontrunner for the Jack Adams Award.

Dean Evason, Minnesota Wild

Dean Evason was a finalist in last year’s race for the Jack Adams Award, and there is no reason he shouldn’t be one again this season.

After struggling to find direction for nearly the last decade, the Wild have flourished underneath Evason, as he’s led them to a 41-20-4 record this season, good for second in the Central Division.

Since hiring Evason, Minnesota has boasted a strong 84-40-9 record, giving the Wild good reason to sign him and his staff to a multi-year extension.

The Wild are a sneaky good team set to make a potential deep run, with high powered young talent and solidified veterans.  Evason has set this team down the right path after years of struggling, making a very strong case for a Jack Adams trophy to be added to his collection.

 

Josh Bartosik is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email joshbartosik13@gmail.com.