Bruce Cassidy, coach of the Boston Bruins, was announced as the victor of the NHL’s Jack Adams Award. The award is given annually to the coach voted as best in the NHL by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association. The other two finalists this year were the Philadelphia Flyers‘ Alain Vigneault and the Columbus Blue Jackets‘ John Tortorella.
Bruce Cassidy, meet Jack Adams.
Congratulations, Coach!
📰: https://t.co/EYUmleOjqy pic.twitter.com/CglvMbrHoD
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 9, 2020
Bruce Cassidy Is Coach of the Year
Cassidy’s 2019-20 campaign was his third full season as the Bruins’ head coach. It’s his first head coaching job in the NHL since his time with the Washington Capitals from 2002-2004.
Tortorella coached the Blue Jackets to a 44-14-12 record this year. It was good enough for 100 points, a .714 points percentage, and a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division. Boston struggled in the round-robin, however, falling to the East’s fourth seed. They bowed out to the Lightning in five games after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in the First Round.
What This Means For the Future
Cassidy begins his legacy as a decorated coach in the NHL. This his first Jack Adams win, becoming the fourth Boston coach to do so. He joins some legendary company in Don Cherry, Pat Burns, and Claude Julien. It’s the first Jack Adams win for a Bruins coach since 2009.
Despite all this, his future as the coach of the Bruins is rocky. An ageing core combined with a largely embarrassing playoff performance signals that the team may be ready to change course. With Cassidy already reaching the average tenure of a head coach at around three-and-a-half years, a change behind the bench could happen if and when the Bruins fall from contender status.
However, this award is not about playoff success. The Bruins were the NHL’s best team during the regular season, and you can’t have success like that without everyone pulling their weight. Cassidy, by doing that, found himself the recipient of this award.
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