The NHL has officially announced Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, and Lindy Ruff as the three finalists for the 2025-26 Jack Adams Award.
Presented to the head coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success," this year's trio represents a blend of veteran stability and high-impact turnarounds.
Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, and Lindy Ruff have been named finalists for the 2025-26 Jack Adams Award 🫡 pic.twitter.com/xVwxkeX0c7
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 1, 2026
Returning to the franchise where he holds nearly every coaching record, Ruff successfully ended Buffalo’s 13-year playoff drought in his first season back. His veteran presence provided the structure a young Sabres roster lacked in previous years, leading them to 48 wins and a second-place finish in the Atlantic Division.
A perennial finalist, Cooper led the Lightning to their 12th consecutive playoff appearance despite significant roster turnover in the bottom six. Cooper’s ability to keep Tampa Bay elite amidst aging stars and salary cap constraints remains the gold standard for coaching longevity in the modern era.
In his debut season in Pittsburgh, Muse navigated the immense pressure of the Penguins’ aging "Big Three" window. He implemented a high-tempo system that played to the strengths of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin while significantly improving the team's penalty kill, which had been a liability in recent seasons. Muse guided the Penguins to a playoff berth, despite many analysts picking the Penguins to miss the postseason.