When was the last time each NHL team had a coach win the Jack Adams Award?

Awarded after each NHL season to the league’s best coach, wins within an organization are often seen as emblematic of wider team success.

We’re around a month deep into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the Carolina Hurricanes awaiting three more teams to join them to make up this year’s conference finals as we are guaranteed to have a new champion this season.

While a team’s success is often and rightfully attributed to the players making it happen on the rink 82 times each regular season and then some more in the playoffs, plenty of attention is also paid to the performance of a team’s head coach, who is often viewed as responsible for creating a winning culture and setting expectations.

Over the years, a handful of coaches have built up masterful reputations thanks to decades of experience and success to show for it – the latter often coming in the form of either a Stanley Cup championship or a Jack Adams Award.

First awarded following the 1973-74 regular season, the award is given after each year to the coach who “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success” – making coaches who are able to spearhead significant turnarounds from year-to-year popular candidates for the accolade.

Although the NHL has a very rich recent history when it comes to head coaches, none of them have dominated the Jack Adams Award in the same way some players have dominated many of the awards handed out to skaters and goaltenders each year. Pat Burns, who won the award on three separate occasions as coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins respectively, holds the record for most wins of the award by a single coach.

As of the end of the 2024-25 NHL season, nine teams have never had a coach win the award – ranging from recent expansion franchises to even one Original Six team:

1. Seattle Kraken
2. Utah Mammoth
3. Winnipeg Jets
4. Florida Panthers
5. Dallas Stars
6. Nashville Predators
7. Anaheim Ducks
8. San Jose Sharks
9. New York Rangers

As for the other 23 teams in the league, here’s a look at the last time each club had a coach take home the Jack Adams Award – beginning with the most recent occurrences:

1. Washington Capitals: 2024-25, Spencer Carbery
2. Vancouver Canucks: 2023-24, Rick Tocchet
3. Boston Bruins: 2022-23, Jim Montgomery
4. Calgary Flames: 2021-22, Darryl Sutter
5. Carolina Hurricanes: 2020-21, Rod Brind’Amour
6. New York Islanders: 2018-19, Barry Trotz
7. Vegas Golden Knights: 2017-18, Gerard Gallant
8. Columbus Blue Jackets: 2016-17, John Tortorella
9. Colorado Avalanche: 2013-14, Patrick Roy
10. Ottawa Senators: 2012-13, Paul MacLean
11. St. Louis Blues: 2011-12, Ken Hitchcock
12. Pittsburgh Penguins: 2010-11, Dan Bylsma
13. Buffalo Sabres: 2005-06, Lindy Ruff
14. Tampa Bay Lightning: 2003-04, John Tortorella
15. Minnesota Wild: 2002-03, Jacques Lemaire
16. Philadelphia Flyers: 2000-01, Bill Barber
17. Detroit Red Wings: 1995-96, Scotty Bowman
18. New Jersey Devils: 1993-94, Jacques Lemaire
19. Toronto Maple Leafs: 1992-93, Pat Burns
20. Montreal Canadiens: 1988-89, Pat Burns
21. Edmonton Oilers: 1985-86, Glen Sather
22. Chicago Blackhawks: 1982-83, Orval Tessier
23. Los Angeles Kings: 1974-75, Bob Pulford