Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh Penguins' Dan Muse, and Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff were named finalists for the Jack Adams Award on Friday.
The NHL presents the award to the top coach as voted on by the National Broadcasters' Association.
Cooper guided Tampa Bay to a ninth straight playoff berth this season, overcoming a slew of injuries to key players like Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Erik Cernak to finish second in the Atlantic. This marks Cooper's third time as a finalist, though he's never won the award.
The Penguins surprised many by making the playoffs under first-year head coach Muse and improved by 18 points from last season, placing second in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh used a league-high 44 players this campaign while ranking third in goals. Muse would be the first rookie coach to claim the Jack Adams since Patrick Roy with the Colorado Avalanche in 2013-14.
Ruff helped the Sabres break their 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo turned its campaign around in December, finishing on a 39-10-5 run to win the Atlantic Division and posting a 30-point gain over last season.
The 66-year-old Ruff is a finalist for the fifth time, tying the NHL record alongside Scotty Bowman, John Tortorella, and Alain Vigneault. He won the award in 2005-06 in his first stint with the Sabres.
Washington Capitals bench boss Spencer Carbery captured the Jack Adams last year.
