{"id":8397,"date":"2017-04-06T08:00:42","date_gmt":"2017-04-06T12:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=8397"},"modified":"2019-11-08T11:10:49","modified_gmt":"2019-11-08T16:10:49","slug":"top-contenders-jack-adams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/04\/06\/top-contenders-jack-adams\/","title":{"rendered":"Predictions for the 2016-2017 Jack Adams Trophy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Predictions for the 2016-2017 Jack Adams<\/a> Trophy<\/h2>\n

The 2016-17 NHL season is coming to a close and what better way to cap off the year by taking a look at the front runners for the NHL Award winners? The Awards ceremony, held in Las Vegas, does not take place until after the Stanley Cup has been hoisted, but there is no harm in getting our predictions\u00a0in now.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Jack Adams Trophy<\/strong><\/a> is an annual award given to the NHL coach judged to have contributed the most to his team’s success. The winner is selected in a poll among members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association at the end of the regular season<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Honorable Mention:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Joel Quenneville<\/a>: Chicago Blackhawaks<\/h3>\n

The Blackhawks have made the playoffs in every year since he took over the job in the 2008-2009 season. \u00a0They have won three championships with the team over that period. Chicago is considered to be a perennial contender to win the cup each season; just look at the\u00a0Vegas spreads<\/a>\u00a0for this season.<\/p>\n

Quenneville is considered one of the top coaches in the league. \u00a0But he has never won a Jack Adams award during his tenure in Chicago. \u00a0Turns out having players such as\u00a0Jonathon Toews, Duncan Keith<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Patrick Kane<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(among others) actually hinders your chances to win the award; \u00a0Its hard to gauge the coaches impact on a team with proven winners.<\/p>\n

Quenneville coached Chicago to a 50-22-7 record. \u00a0With 107 points, the Hawks have already clinched the Western Conference.<\/h6>\n

But Quenneville has won the award once before when he was coaching with the St. Louis Blues in the 1999-2000 season. \u00a0This is significant, because only five coaches have ever won the award twice: \u00a0Jacques Lemaire<\/a><\/strong>, Pat Quinn<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Scotty Bowman<\/strong> all won it twice. Pat Burns<\/strong> was the only person to win it three times;\u00a0Jacques Demers<\/strong> is the only coach to have won it twice in a row.<\/p>\n

The bottom line?<\/p>\n

It is unlikely that Quenneville will join their ranks this season, despite another tremendous year at the helm for Chicago.<\/p>\n

Finalists:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Todd McLellan<\/a>: Edmonton Oilers<\/h3>\n

In any other season, Todd McLellan would be a lock for the Jack Adams award. After all, the Oilers 97 points this season is the most they have had since the 2005 when they lost the Stanley Cup final.<\/p>\n

In addition to historic point totals, McLellan has also led the Oilers to their first playoff birth in ten years. \u00a0Something that is not taken lightly in the city of Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Yes, having\u00a0Connor McDavid<\/a><\/strong>, as a member of your team helps you get a couple of wins, but the Oilers had struggled to contend with top overall draft picks in the last ten years. Nail Yakupov<\/a><\/strong>, Taylor Hall<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Ryan Nugent-Hopkins<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>couldn’t get them there. Under McLellan, the Oilers are in the post-season.<\/p>\n

If the Oilers do break 100 points, which is likely, McLellan would become the first Oilers head coach not named\u00a0Glen Sather<\/a><\/strong>, to reach that mark with the franchise. \u00a0And he deserves all the credit in the world for changing the attitude in Edmonton to a winning one.<\/p>\n

But this is not a normal year, and there are a pair of coaches who have done more with less than the Edmonton bench boss.<\/p>\n

John Tortorella: \u00a0Columbus Blue Jackets<\/h3>\n

When the year started off, nobody was sure what to make of John Tortorella. \u00a0With Torts at the helm, Team USA got steamrolled at the world cup of hockey ending up with a 0-3 record and not advancing out of the group.<\/p>\n

Questions began to arise about his future. \u00a0Could Tortorella rebound from the uncharacteristic showing, and help Columbus make the playoffs?<\/p>\n

Boy did he shut up the haters.<\/p>\n

Columbus set a franchise record going on a 16 game win streak; \u00a0A streak that nearly broke\u00a0the 1992-1993 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL record for most consecutive wins which stands at 17.<\/p>\n

With the same core in tact, Tortorella got more out his players than his predecessor Todd Richards<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0The Jackets, with three games remaining, have locked up a playoff spot with 106 points (49-22-8). \u00a0Perhaps more impressive, Torts’ squad kept pace with the Capitals, Penguins and Rangers all year in a division race that came down to the last two weeks of the season.<\/p>\n

Prior to this season, the Jackets organization has only made the playoffs once in the last ten years.<\/p>\n

However, Tortorella has not been able to get the Jackets power play back on the roll which it started the season. \u00a0In the new year, they have operated at only 12.4%. \u00a0A monumental drop off from the nearly 30% efficiency which they opened up the season. \u00a0Special teams is an area where coaching influence can be felt the most. \u00a0Which is why the award goes to…<\/p>\n

Winner<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mike Babcock: Toronto Maple Leafs<\/h3>\n

The Toronto Maple leafs finished last season in last place in the league, with a 29-42-11 record. \u00a0Leaf fans will remember the promises from Babcock that there would be growing pains as the organization carefully planned their rebuild. \u00a0Just a year later the Leafs are a different team.<\/p>\n

Toronto is poised to clinch a playoff birth, for the second time in the last twelve seasons (the only other was in the shortened lockout season in 2012-2013). \u00a0And if the Leafs get in, which it seems they will, Babcock deserves the award.<\/p>\n

If Toronto makes the playoffs (which is not a sure thing when talking about the Leafs) they will be the first team since\u00a0the 2006-2007 Flyers to finish in last place, then make the playoffs the following season. \u00a0And Toronto has already surpassed their season total of points a year ago by 24.<\/p>\n

Since January 1st, Toronto has accrued 54 points. \u00a0That leaves them behind only Washington, Anaheim and Chicago.<\/p>\n

Yes, a first overall draft pick of\u00a0Auston Matthews<\/a><\/strong>, who looks to be the front runner for the\u00a0Calder Trophy<\/a>, helps to expedite the project of rebuilding the franchise. \u00a0But Babcock has been able to get tremendous production out of a number of rookies: \u00a0William Nylander<\/a><\/strong>, Mitch Marner<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and Connor Brown<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to name a few.<\/p>\n

Not to mention the fact that he has never won the award. \u00a0As the Jack Adams is voted on by the Broadcasters Association, this plays a factor in the voting; \u00a0As Babcock is considered a top coach in the league who has never won it, that will be taken into consideration from the voters. \u00a0With Torts having won the award with Tampa Bay already, this gives another edge to Babcock.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n