Lately, most new NHL hires haven’t needed to wait lengthy to be a contender for the Jack Adams Trophy — the award given every year to the league’s finest coach.
For 4 straight years, the NHL’s Broadcasters Affiliation has bestowed the trophy upon a coach in his first or second season with no matter group they’re presently employed by.
So, let’s take this chance to take inventory of who’ll be behind the bench in a brand new house this upcoming season and whether or not they could make a run on the Jack Adams.
Might a New Coach Win the Jack Adams Award in 2025-26?
Joel Quenneville, Geese (+700)
Coach Q will return to the NHL in Anaheim this season, and he’s presently the odds-favorite to win the Jack Adams Award.
Quenneville final coached with the Florida Panthers in 2021 earlier than resigning as a consequence of his involvement within the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.
Now, Quenneville will coach a rejiggered Geese roster with hopes of bringing that group again to the playoffs. Anaheim is +250 to make the playoffs and +4000 to win the Pacific Division.
Mike Sullivan, Rangers (+1600)
Mike Sullivan left the, presumably, rebuilding Penguins for a job within the Massive Apple. He’s presently among the many prime tier of odds favorites for the Jack Adams Trophy with the percentages set at +1600.
Regardless of profitable the Stanley Cup twice with Pittsburgh, Sullivan has by no means been a finalist for the Jack Adams.
His Rangers are -200 to make the playoffs and +2800 to win the Stanley Cup.
Rick Tocchet, Flyers (+2200)
Rick Tocchet gained the Jack Adams Award in 2024 after teaching the Canucks to a 50-23-9 document. He was fired by Vancouver this offseason after he didn’t make the playoffs in his third 12 months on the job.
Now with the Flyers, Tocchet is a little bit of a protracted shot to win the Jack Adams. He has a robust likelihood if he can flip across the younger Philadelphia group that only in the near past acquired “star” middle Trevor Zegras, sorry for the quotes.
The Flyers are +250 to make the playoffs and +3000 to win the Metropolitan Division.
Jeff Blashill, Blackhawks (+2200)
Chicago is in determined want of one thing to work after what’s been a disappointing begin to the Connor Bedard period. If newly-hired Jeff Blashill can flip the group round, make the playoffs, or perhaps a run in direction of it then he’ll turn into a robust contender for the Jack Adams.
That is Blashill’s first teaching job since a seven-year teaching stint with the Detroit Purple Wings that led to 2022.
The Blackhawks are tied with the San Jose Sharks for the league’s lowest odds to win the Stanley Cup, set at +50000. Chicago’s odds to make the playoffs are presently set at +1600.
Adam Foote, Canucks (+2500)
Taking up for Tocchet in Vancouver is two-time Stanley Cup winner Adam Foote. This can be Foote’s first teaching gig within the NHL after a two-year run as head coach within the WHL and a two-year run as an assistant with the Canucks.
Foote’s odds for the Jack Adams are presently set at +2500.
This is a crucial season for Vancouver given the soon-to-be-impending UFA standing of star defenseman Quinn Hughes. But when Vancouver overperforms it’s exhausting to essentially see that as a possibility for an Adams win for Foote on condition that the expectations for that roster are already considerably excessive.
The Canucks are presently +115 to make the playoffs and +6600 to win the Stanley Cup.
Marco Sturm, Boston Bruins (+2800)
First-time NHL head coach Marco Sturm will take over for interim coach Joe Sacco in Boston.
Sturm, who performed for the Bruins from 2005 to 2010, was most lately the pinnacle coach for the Ontario Reign, the AHL-affiliate for the Kings.
Issues most likely can’t go as poorly for Sturm as they did for his predecessors, Sacco and Jim Montgomery, who helmed a 33-39-10 Boston group that completed eighth within the Atlantic Division.
Like others on this checklist, if Sturm will help the Bruins overperform in his first 12 months, he’ll turn into a significant contender for the Jack Adams Award.
Boston’s odds to make the playoffs are presently set at +375 and their odds to win their division are set at +5000.
Lane Lambert, Kraken (+4000)
Lane Lambert turned third head coach in Seattle’s historical past this offseason after the group completed seventh of their division with a 35-41-6 document.
The Kraken made some strikes this offseason however nonetheless most likely don’t have sufficient expertise to make any important noise within the 2025-26 season which can make it very exhausting for Lambert to contend for the Jack Adams.
Seattle is presently +550 to make the playoffs and +20000 to win the Stanley Cup.
Glen Gulutzan, Stars (+5000)
The dignity of being the final coach picked up within the hiring cycle this offseason went to Dallas’ Glen Gulutzan.
The Stars made a wierd transfer to fireplace Peter DoBoer this offseason regardless of the group ending second within the Central Division and making it to the Convention Finals. DeBoer had solely had the job in Dallas for 3 seasons.
Gulutzan final coached the Stars within the 2011-12 season and the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, after that he had a quick stint with the Calgary Flames. He’s additionally bounced round in assistant positions for groups just like the Canucks and Oilers.
Gulutzan has the eighth-worst odds to win the Jack Adams Award given the truth that Dallas was good final 12 months and was most likely going to be good once more this 12 months with or with out his involvement.
The Stars have the sixth finest odds to win the Stanley Cup with +1000.
