The NHL has revealed the three finalists for the 2019–20 Jack Adams Award for coach of the year, voted by the broadcasters. This year’s candidates are the Boston Bruins‘ Bruce Cassidy, the Columbus Blue Jackets‘ John Tortorella, and the Philadelphia Flyers‘ Alain Vigneault.
The 2020 Jack Adams Award finalists are Bruce Cassidy, John Tortorella and Alain Vigneault❗ #NHLAwards
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— NHL (@NHL) July 15, 2020
NHL Reveals Jack Adams Award Finalists
The Jack Adams Award is presented to the coach who has contributed the most to his team’s success. The award is in memory of the late Jack Adams, an eight-time Stanley Cup champion (two as a player, six as a coach). The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Adams in 1959. Adams played for the Toronto Arenas and Ottawa Senators from 1917–27. He later coached the Detroit Red Wings from 1927–1947 where he won 413 games.
Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders won the award last season after leading his club to a 48-27-7 record and second in the Metropolitan Division.
Bruce Cassidy
Cassidy’s Bruins finished atop the NHL with exactly 100 points in 70 games off a 44-14-12 record. Boston was on pace for 117 points in 2019–20. The total would’ve tied the team’s most points in a season since the 2013–14 season. Cassidy, who has never won the award, replaced Claude Julien in 2017 and was named the new head coach in the following months. Cassidy and the Bruins are now awaiting an opponent from the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round.
John Tortorella
Tortorella coached the Blue Jackets to an impressive 33-22-15 record after losing star players Matt Duchene, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Artemi Panarian in free agency. He is a two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award, winning in 2003–04 with the Tampa Bay Lightning and in 2016–17 with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tortorella joined the Blue Jackets in the 2015–16 season. He had lead Columbus to the postseason in four of his five years as their head coach. Columbus and Tortorella are set to the play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round.
Alain Vigneault
In his first season behind the Flyers bench, Vigneault led his team to a second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. Philadelphia’s 41-21-7 record surprised many around the league after finishing sixth in their division last season. Vigneault’s coached in the NHL for 17 seasons and for four teams. He won the Jack Adams Award back in 2006–07 as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Vigneault and Philadelphia are awaiting an opponent from the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round.
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