NEW YORK -- Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dan Muse of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres are 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,” the National Hockey League announced today.
Members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association submitted ballots for the Jack Adams Award at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.
Following are the finalists, in alphabetical order:
Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning
Cooper, the longest-tenured active head coach in the NHL, led Tampa Bay (50-26-6, 106 points) to its ninth consecutive playoff berth (tied for the longest current run in the League) and 12th in his 13 full seasons at the helm of the franchise. The Lightning recorded their fifth 50-win campaign under Cooper’s guidance (and first since 2021-22) as well as their seventh 100-point season. They placed among the 2025-26 leaders (including shootout-deciding goals) in goal differential (2nd; +59), goals against (3rd; 231) and goals for (4th; 290). Tampa Bay also ranked among the NHL’s best in 5-on-5 goals for/against ratio (2nd; 1.29), road wins (t-2nd; 24), regulation wins (3rd; 40), comeback wins (3rd; 24), third-period goal differential (3rd; +21), penalty kill efficiency (3rd; 82.6%), home wins (t-3rd; 26) and points by defensemen (5th; 204) as Cooper – on Jan. 12 at PHI – became the second-fastest head coach in League history to reach 600 career wins (1,005 GC), behind only Scotty Bowman (1,002 GC). The 58-year-old Cooper, a three-time finalist after finishing second in voting in 2018-19 and third in 2013-14, is seeking to join John Tortorella (2003-04) as the second head coach in Lightning history to capture the Jack Adams Award.
Dan Muse, Pittsburgh Penguins
Muse, in his first campaign as an NHL head coach, steered Pittsburgh (41-25-16, 98 points) to a second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division and its first playoff berth since 2021-22. Muse’s 41 wins were tied for the third-most by a Penguins head coach in their first season with the team, trailing just Mike Johnston (43 in 2014-15) and Ivan Hlinka (42 in 2000-01). Muse, who juggled a League-high 44 players throughout 2025-26, led Pittsburgh to top 10 rankings in goals for (3rd; 293, including shootout-deciding goals), total time leading (3rd; 2,023:55), penalty kill efficiency (6th; 81.4%), points by defensemen (6th; 203), power play efficiency (7th; 24.1%), regulation wins (t-8th; 34), 5-on-5 goals for/against ratio (9th; 1.15), road wins (t-9th; 21), goal differential (10th; +25, including shootout-deciding goals) and shots for per game (10th; 28.6). The 43-year-old Muse is the 19th individual who has been voted as a Jack Adams Award finalist in his first season as an NHL head coach and is vying to become the first rookie head coach to win the trophy since Patrick Roy in 2013-14 (w/ COL). Muse also is the third head coach in Penguins history who has been selected as a Jack Adams Award finalist; Dan Bylsma won it in 2010-11, while Michel Therrien finished third in voting in 2006-07.
Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres
Ruff, in the second season of his second stint behind the Buffalo bench, guided the Sabres (50‑23-9, 109 points) to their third-highest win and fifth-highest point totals in franchise history en route to the team’s first playoff berth since 2010-11 and first division title since 2009-10 – both achieved during his prior tenure with the organization. Buffalo posted a 30-point improvement over 2024-25, the second-largest gain in the NHL behind only the San Jose Sharks (+34), to rise from 26th to fourth in the overall League standings. The Sabres ranked among the top five in 2025-26 in regulation wins (2nd; 42), road wins (t-2nd; 24), 5-on-5 goals for/against ratio (3rd; 1.24), team save percentage (3rd; .900), home wins (t-3rd; 26), points by defensemen (t-3rd; 212), goal differential (4th; +47, including shootout-deciding goals), penalty kill efficiency (4th; 81.9%), goals for (5th; 288, including shootout-deciding goals), total time leading (5th; 1,911:58) and third-period scoring (t-5th; 101). The 66-year-old Ruff is a Jack Adams Award finalist for the fifth time (tied for the most in NHL history with Scotty Bowman, John Tortorella and Alain Vigneault) after capturing the trophy in 2005-06 (w/ BUF), placing second in voting in 2022-23 (w/ NJD) and 2006-07 (w/ BUF), and finishing third in 2015-16 (w/ DAL).
History
The award was presented by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association in 1974 in honor of the late Jack Adams, longtime coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings.
Announcement Schedule
The series of NHL Trophy finalist announcements continues Monday, May 4, when the three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy will be unveiled.
