Bruce Boudreau makes Jack Adams Trophy short list

Despite impressive accomplishments in his first full season, Ducks coach Bruce ‘Gabby’ Boudreau faces equally impressive competition for the NHL Jack Adams Trophy, given annually to the coach “adjudged to have contributed most to his team’s success.” The winner is selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association at the end of the regular season.

Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean led his team to a playoff berth despite losing Norris Trophy D-man Erik Karlsson, Jared Cowen as well as top forwards Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek for long stretches.

Due largely to injuries, the Senators used a league-high 14 rookies at various times during the season.

It’s the second consecutive nomination for the sophomore NHL head coach.

Less than one year ago, Blackhawks fans were calling for the dismissal of head coach Joel Quenneville following the surprising first round exit in the playoffs. Coach Q is one of only two men to have played in 800 NHL games and coached in 1000. The other is former Hab great and Minnesota and New Jersey coach Jacques Lemaire.
Enroute to the President’s Trophy, Quenneville’s Blackhawks began the season setting NHL record for earning at least a point in its first 24 games. The previous record of 16 games had been held by our Stanley Cup winning Ducks of 2007. Quenneville won the Jack Adams in 1999-2000 with St. Louis.

Coach Boudreau, in his first full season behind the Anaheim bench, led the club to its finest regular season in franchise history, capturing the Pacific Division title and No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a club-record points percentage (.688, 30-12-6). The Ducks made dramatic gains over 2011-12 in several categories, climbing from 25th to third in the overall NHL standings; from 23rd to eighth in average goals-per-game
(2.45 to 2.79); from 19th to 11th in average goals-against (2.73 to 2.40); and from 21st to fourth in power-play percentage (16.6% to 21.5%). Boudreau is vying for his second career Jack Adams Award, having captured the trophy in 2007-08 with Washington in his first appearance as a finalist.

Given MacLean’s Senators faced the most adversity and Quenneville’s Blackhawks achieved more, Gabby is a long shot to win the award this year.

The section on Bruce Boudreau was taken directly from the NHL press release.