Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter won the 2022 Jack Adams Award, beating out finalists Andrew Brunette (Panthers) and Gerard Gallant (Rangers).
The NHL’s Broadcasters Association votes on the Jack Adams Award, which is given to the coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.”
Rangers fans will probably be happy to note that Gerard Gallant is the only Jack Adams finalist still active in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Those scamps.
Darryl Sutter wins his first Jack Adams Award after strong Flames season
This is the first time Darryl Sutter, 63, won a Jack Adams Award. He’s not the first Sutter to win one, however. His brother Brian Sutter (the 1991 winner) presented the award to Darryl.
The Jack Adams Award is given to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success in the regular season.
— NHL (@NHL) June 2, 2022
Darryl Sutter got the chance to accept the award from his brother Brian, a former Jack Adams Award winner himself. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/UWcZBLLFrs
While the Flames missed the playoffs last season, there exhibited subtle structure improvements under Sutter. In 2021-22, the Flames ran away with the Pacific Division title, generating a 50-21-11 record for 111 standings points. That’s seven points ahead of the second-place Oilers (104).
Of course, the Oilers went on to eliminate the Flames in “The Battle of Alberta.” Did Darryl Sutter adjust properly to Connor McDavid’s megastar performance? That’s subjective, and a matter of debate.
Overall, though, Darryl Sutter did tremendous work this season. Personally, he was the clear choice for the 2022 Jack Adams Award.
In the Jack Adams voting system, Sutter ended up taking 353 points, including 54 first-place votes. Andrew Brunette finished second (249, 31 first-place votes). Gallant finished third (142, 12 first-place), and Dean Evason was the closest to being a finalist (111, seven first-place).
More 2022 NHL Awards announcements coming this week
The NHL is rolling out some of its award winners this week. The process began with Kings’ center Anze Kopitar winning the Mark Messier Leadership Award on Wednesday night.
As the week moves along, we’ll find out who won the Bill Masterton Trophy, Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award, Selke Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy, and King Clancy Trophy.
The other major NHL award winners will be revealed on June 21 in a one hour live show during the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. That night, we’ll learn who won the Hart, Norris, Calder, and Vezina Trophies, along with the Ted Lindsay Award.
(According to the NHL, the finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year, which is voted on after the Second Round, will be announced on June 21. The winner will be revealed during the NHL Draft on July 7-8.)
How PHT’s staff viewed the Jack Adams Award race
In PHT’s Jack Adams Award ballots, Darryl Sutter dominated. The veteran Flames coach received three out of five first-place votes, one second-place vote, and one third.
Interestingly, Kings coach Todd McLellan finished second in PHT’s voting, but was not a Jack Adams Award finalist.
Other coaches receiving PHT staff votes for the Jack Adams Award included: Andrew Brunette (finishing third), Gerard Gallant (fourth), and three coaches getting a third-place vote: Dean Evason, Mike Sullivan, and Bruce Cassidy.
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.