NEW YORK -- Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks is the 2023-24 recipient of the Jack Adams Award as “the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success,” as selected by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.
Tocchet, a first-time Jack Adams finalist, is the third winner in Canucks history, following Pat Quinn in 1991-92 and Alain Vigneault in 2006-07. He was the club’s first finalist for this award since Vigneault finished second in 2010-11.
Tocchet appeared as a top-three pick on 109 of the 114 ballots and received 82 first-place votes for 483 voting points in a decisive win. Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette finished second with 145 voting points, followed by Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets (75 points), who edged Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers (66) and Kris Knoblauch of the Edmonton Oilers (64) in a close three-way race for third place.
In his first full season behind the Vancouver bench, Tocchet led the club to one of its finest regular seasons, capturing the Pacific Division title and No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with their third-highest point total (50-23-9, 109 pts). The Canucks made dramatic gains over 2022-23 in several categories, climbing from 22nd to sixth in the overall NHL standings; from 26th to 4th in points earned at home (40 to 59); from 25th to 5th (tie) in average goals-against per game (3.61 to 2.70) and from 32nd to 17th in penalty-killing percentage (71.6% to 79.1%). They posted the NHL’s best goal differential in the first period (+38) and excelled late as well, going 42-1-4 when leading after two periods – the most such wins in the League and double their total from 2022-23 (21-1-4).
2023-24 Jack Adams Award Voting
Points (1st-2nd-3rd)
1. Rick Tocchet, VAN 483 (82-23-4)
2. Andrew Brunette, NSH 145 (8-28-21)
3. Rick Bowness, WPG 75 (5-11-17)
4. Peter Laviolette, NYR 66 (5-10-11)
5. Kris Knoblauch, EDM 64 (3-12-13)
6. Paul Maurice, FLA 42 (1-9-10)
7. Spencer Carbery, WSH 34 (4-1-11)
8. Rod Brind’Amour, CAR 31 (4-3-2)
9. Jim Montgomery, BOS 29 (0-7-8)
10. Peter DeBoer, DAL 26 (2-2-10)
11. Jon Cooper, TBL 23 (0-6-5)
12. John Tortorella, PHI 7 (0-2-1)
13. Mike Sullivan, PIT 1 (0-0-1)
