An Historical Coaching Feat Could Be Coming: Being Fired & A Jack Adams Finalist in Same Season

1 day ago  /  NHL Trade Rumors  /  Read Time: 1 minute 13 seconds

Is it possible for a National Hockey League head coach to be fired AND finish as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year? It sounds crazy, but it just might be possible for Jim Montgomery to pull it off. After being handed his walking papers by the Boston Bruins back in November after a rough 20-game start to the season, Montgomery was quickly scooped up by the St. Louis Blues. And after an adjustment period, he has the Blues playing at a sizzling pace, on a nine-game winning streak, and in a virtual tie for one of the two Wild Card berths in the Western Conference amidst what had earlier been considered a lost season for the franchise. Could Jim Montgomery be a Jack Adams Award finalist after getting fired midseason? The Blues are 31-16-6 with him and have vaulted into a playoff spot under him, and the Bruins have a worse point percentage without him (.475 with him and .463 without).— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) March 30, 2025The Blues have gone 31-16-6 under Montgomery, for a .642 points percentage. Only four teams in the NHL have a better points pct. over the course of this season than that. One of them is the presumed favorite for the Jack Adams this year, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals. With 103 points, the Caps have blown past their 91-point season of last year, still with 10 games to play. Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason is likely to be another finalist for the tremendous he did making them a surprising contender for a playoff spot after finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference last year, and especially for overcoming the preseason tragedy that took the life of Johnny Gaudreau. Ryan Huska of the Calgary Flames and Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets should also be given consideration. As for Montgomery, it's not unfamiliar territory for him to be in the mix amongst the candidates for the award, having won it for the 2022-23 season with the Bruins. This will be one of the more intriguing Jack Adams races in recent memory. Photo: © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images  ...

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