The finalists for the 2025-26 Jack Adams Award for NHL's coach of the year are Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, and Lindy Ruff. The award recognizes outstanding coaching performance, with the winner to be announced later.
Key points
Finalists for the Jack Adams Award announced for 2025-26
Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, and Lindy Ruff are the finalists
Cooper extended the Lightning's playoff streak
Muse and Ruff ended their teams' playoff droughts
The award is voted on by NHL broadcasters
Mentioned in this story
Jon CooperDan MuseLindy Ruff
Tampa Bay LightningPittsburgh PenguinsBuffalo Sabres
Jack Adams Award finalists announced. Favorite and snub for best coach in NHL
The Jack Adams Award for the NHL's coach of the year has an Eastern Conference flair in 2025-26.
The three finalists are the Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh Penguins' Dan Muse and Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff. The award is voted on by NHL broadcasters and the winner will be announced at a later date.
Cooper and Ruff are veteran coaches and Muse is a first-year NHL head coach. Cooper extended the Lightning's playoff streak amid trying circumstances and Muse and Ruff ended their teams' playoff droughts, 14 seasons in Ruff's case.
Here's what to know about the Jack Adams Award finalists and the rollout for announcements for the NHL's major awards.
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
Q&A
Who are the finalists for the 2025-26 Jack Adams Award?
The finalists are Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dan Muse of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres.
What is the significance of the Jack Adams Award in the NHL?
The Jack Adams Award honors the NHL's coach of the year, recognizing exceptional coaching performance during the season.
How did Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, and Lindy Ruff perform this season?
Cooper maintained the Lightning's playoff streak, Muse ended the Penguins' playoff drought in his first year, and Ruff ended a 14-season playoff drought for the Sabres.
When will the winner of the Jack Adams Award be announced?
The winner of the Jack Adams Award will be announced at a later date, as determined by NHL broadcasters.
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2026-26 regular season awards?
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Jack Adams Award finalists
Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning: Cooper led Tampa Bay (106 points) to its ninth consecutive playoff berth.. He became the second-fastest head coach in league history to reach 600 career wins (1,005 games), behind only Scotty Bowman (1,002). Cooper, 58, a three-time finalist has never won.
Dan Muse, Pittsburgh Penguins: Muse led Pittsburgh (98 points) to second-place in the Metropolitan Division and its first playoff berth since 2021-22. His 41 wins were tied for the third-most by a Penguins head coach in their first season with the team. Muse, 43, is vying to become the first rookie head coach to win the trophy since Patrick Roy in 2013-14.
Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres: Ruff, in the second season of his second stint behind the Buffalo bench, guided the Sabres (109 points) to their first playoff berth since 2010-11 and first division title since 2009-10. Buffalo posted a 30-point improvement over 2024-25 to rise from 26th to fourth in the overall league standings. Ruff, 66, is a Jack Adams Award finalist for the fifth time and won in 2005-06.
No quibbling with the three finalists, but Marco Sturm could also make the list. He helped the Bruins quickly get back to the playoffs in his first season in Boston. The team finished with 100 points.