Winnipeg’s Rick Bowness, Nashville’s Andrew Brunette and Vancouver’s Rick Tocchet were named finalists on Friday for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s 2023-24 coach of the year.
The trophy honors the head coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success,” voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.
None of the three finalists is a previous winner. Brunette finished second while with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22; Bowness and Tocchet are first-time finalists.
Bowness, 69, guided the Jets (52-24-6, 110 points) to the second-most points in franchise history. Winnipeg allowed the fewest goals in the league (199) and posted a franchise-record 14-game point streak (12-0-2) from Dec. 13-Jan. 11. He is the first Jack Adams finalist for the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise.
Brunette, 50, led the Predators (47-30-5, 99 points) to a franchise-record 18-game point streak from Feb. 17-March 26 (16-0-2) during his first season with the team. He is Nashville’s third finalist for the award, joining Barry Trotz (two times) and Peter Laviolette (third in 2014-15).
Tocchet, 60, steered the Canucks (50-23-9, 109 points) to one of the best years in team history in his first full season behind their bench. They were 42-1-4 when leading after two periods, up from 21-1-4 in 2022-23. Pat Quinn (1991-92) and Alain Vigneault (2006-07) previously won the award with Vancouver.
