To mark the midway point of the 2022-23 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series this week. Today, we look at the race for the Jack Adams Awardgiven annually to the top coach in the NHL as selected in a vote by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.
The Boston Bruins have savored every moment of the 2022-23 season, one that began with uncertainty because of injuries to key players behind six consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff appearances and a second chance given to new coach Jim Montgomery whose predecessor, Bruce Cassidy, averaged 39 wins in 5 1/2 seasons and guided them to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.
Resilience has been a hallmark of the Bruins and it’s something they’ve taken after Montgomery, the overwhelming favorite for the Jack Adams Award nearly 3 1/2 years after he was fired by the Dallas Stars for unprofessional conduct.
Montgomery was hired to exceed the bar set by Cassidy. A fast start appeared without difficulty forward Brad Marchand (surgery on both hips), and defensemen Charlie McAvoy (left shoulder surgery) and Matt Grzelcyk (right shoulder surgery) in the lineup for what amounted to 13 games. Boston responded with an 11-2-0 start and is 32-4-4, including a 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park on Jan. 2. That’s a 66-win pace, four ahead of the NHL record shared by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning.
Whether or not the 2022-23 Bruins enter the record books, Montgomery may have already secured enough support to be named NHL coach of the year. He received 68 votes (13 for first place) in an NHL.com poll of 14 writers, dwarfing Pete DeBoer of the Stars (31 votes, one first place). Cassidy, now coaching the Vegas Golden Knights, was third with 22. Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes (20) and Lindy Ruff of the New Jersey Devils (20) rounded out the top five.
The Bruins have an NHL-high plus-38 goal differential (61-23) in the third period. The comeback from down 1-0 at Fenway showed what they’re capable of doing.
“I think it was more just along the message that we know what we can do together as a group,” said the Boston forward Jake DeBrusk after scoring the second of his two goals with 2:24 remaining. “We’re the best third period team in the League and let’s go prove it.”
Video: Bruins shake hands with Penguins and celebrate win
Montgomery was already a very good coach, a 2017 NCAA national champion with the University of Denver, before his Stars tenure ended Dec. 10, 2019. The Bruins set a new team record with a 22-game point streak on home ice (19-0-3) one ahead of the previous mark from 1973-74. They’re second in goals per game (3.85), lead the NHL in goals-against per game (2.13) and Linus Ullmark (22-1-1, 1.87 goals-against average, .938 save percentage, two shutouts) is building a resume to contend for the Vezina Trophy given to the best goalie in the NHL.
“We can go out and play any type of game,” Montgomery said after a 4-3 win at the Devils on Dec. 23. “We can be down, and we can come back and win. We can be up, and we can keep our foot on the gas pedal.”
With an average age of 29.48 that was the fourth oldest in the NHL on Monday, the Bruins can win their second Presidents’ Trophy given the team with the best regular season record in four seasons (2019-20) and third since 2013-14. They’ll have to manage without DeBrusk (16 goals, 14 assists in 36 games) for at least the next four weeks because of a hand and lower-body injury sustained at the Winter Classic.
Instead of quitting, the Bruins have risen to every challenge. If there’s any thought otherwise, they can turn to their coach. Montgomery is not only the overwhelming Adams favorite, he’s the biggest redemption story of the season to date.
“The biggest thing is the coaching. Bringing in ‘Monty’ — he’s a guy everyone loved in Dallas,” retired NHL defenseman Keith Yandle told NBC Sports Boston before the Winter Classic. “I’ve played with guys who played for him in college, and they loved him. The way that the guys are playing, they’re playing hard for him, and playing loose.”
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis):
Jim Montgomery, Bruins, 68 points (13 first-place votes); Pete DeBoer, Stars, 31 (1); Bruce Cassidy, Golden Knights, 22; Rod Brind’Amour, Hurricanes, 20; Lindy Ruff, Devils, 20; Rick Bowness, Winnipeg Jets, 11; Peter Laviolette, Washington Capitals, 9; Dave Hakstol, Seattle Kraken, 8; Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs, 5; Don Granato, Buffalo Sabres, 5; Mike Sullivan, Penguins, 4; Todd McLellan, Los Angeles Kings, 3; Jared Bednar, Colorado Avalanche, 3; Lane Lambert, New York Islanders, 1
.