NHL Announces Finalists for Jack Adams Award

The NHL has rounded out it's award season by naming the three finalists on Friday for the Jack Adams award and the finalists include Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes, Dean Evason of the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville.

The Jack Adams award is handed out to the coach of the year. Brind'Amour, the heavy favorite, led the 'Canes to their third straight postseason berth and a Central Division title. Carolina had an outstanding record of 36-12-8, two points off the President's Trophy for the NHL's best regular season team. While this is the first time Brind'Amour has been nominated, it's like the 'rookie finalist' takes home the award.

On the other hand, Evason coached a Wild team to achieve way more than anyone expected. The team was basically written off this season and Evason and his staff had other ideas. The Wild finished this season with a 35-16-5 record, seven points back of the West Division crown. It was Evason's first full season behind the Wild bench and it was an outstanding campaign.

The veteran of the bunch. Panthers' Quenneville led his team to their best winning percentage in franchise history and they finished just one point back of Brind'Amour's Hurricanes. Quenneville is looking to win this award for the second time after taking it home back in 1999-00.