The Jack Adams Award is presented annually to the NHL head coach who, as determined by the National Hockey League Broadcasters' Association, has "contributed the most to his team's success." The award, voted on by a poll of the broadcasters, is presented at the NHL Awards show, which takes place in late-June.
The trophy is named for Jack Adams, who served as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings for 20 seasons (1927-28 to 1946-47), and as the team's general manager for 34 seasons (1927-28 to 1961-62).
"The Adams" rarely is awarded to the coach of the Stanley Cup-winning team. More often, the trophy is awarded to a coach of a franchise that reverses its fortune from the previous year -- generally taking a team that missed the playoffs the previous year to a division title or deep into the postseason automatically qualifies a coach as an Adams finalist.
Winning an Adams Award is no guarantee of a coach's longevity with his club either. For every Al Arbour (who lasted another seven years at the helm of the New York Islanders after winning his Adams) there is a Ted Nolan, who was fired by the Buffalo Sabres less than a month after winning the Adams. In the award's history, 11 recipients lasted less than two full seasons after winning the Jack Adams Award. The average tenure for a coach after winning the Adams is just under 2.5 years.
Recipients:
Year Coach Team
2015-16 - Barry Trotz, Washington Capitals
2014-15 - Bob Hartley, Calgary Flames
2013-14 - Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche
2012-13 - Paul MacLean, Ottawa Senators
2011-12 - Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis Blues
2010-11 - Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh Penguins
2009-10 - Dave Tippett, Phoenix Coyotes
2008-09 - Claude Julien, Boston Bruins
2007-08 - Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
2006-07 - Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks
2005-06 - Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres
2004-05 - N/A
2003-04 - John Tortorella, Tampa Bay Lightning
2002-03 - Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota Wild
2001-02 - Bob Francis, Phoenix Coyotes
2000-01 - Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers
1999-00 - Joel Quenneville, St. Louis Blues
1998-99 - Jacques Martin, Ottawa Senators
1997-98 - Pat Burns, Boston Bruins
1996-97 - Ted Nolan, Buffalo Sabres
1995-96 - Scotty Bowman, Detroit Red Wings
1994-95 - Marc Crawford, Quebec Nordiques
1993-94 - Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils
1992-93 - Pat Burns, Toronto Maple Leafs
1991-92 - Pat Quinn, Vancouver Canucks
1991-92 - Brian Sutter, St. Louis Blues
1989-90 - Bob Murdoch, Winnipeg Jets
1988-89 - Pat Burns, Montreal Canadiens
1987-88 - Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings
1986-87 - Jacques Demers, Detroit Red Wings
1985-86 - Glen Sather, Edmonton Oilers
1984-85 - Mike Keenan, Philadelphia Flyers
1983-84 - Bryan Murray, Washington Capitals
1982-83 - Orval Tessier, Chicago Blackhawks
1981-82 - Tom Watt, Winnipeg Jets
1980-81 - Gordon "Red" Berenson, St. Louis Blues
1979-80 - Pat Quinn, Philadelphia Flyers
1978-79 - Al Arbour, New York Islanders
1977-78 - Bobby Kromm, Detroit Red Wings
1976-77 - Scotty Bowman, Montreal Canadiens
1975-76 - Don Cherry, Boston Bruins
1974-75 - Bob Pulford, Los Angeles Kings
1973-74 - Fred Shero, Philadelphia Flyers
Sources:
NHL.com: Hockey U. - http://nhl.com/hockeyu/history/trophies/adams.html
Adams Trophy Jinx - http://hockeyabstract.homestead.com/72102D.html