Jim Montgomery Named Jack Adams Finalist

In what may be some of the least surprising NHL Awards news, besides the Vezina Trophy, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery was named a 2023 Jack Adams Award finalist.

Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol and New Jersey Devils bench boss Lindy Ruff were the other two finalists for the award given to the head coach who has ‘contributed the most to his team’s success,’ and is presented by the NHL Broadcaster’s Association. The winner will be revealed during the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Monday, June 26 (8 p.m. ET, TNT, SN, TVAS).

In Montgomery’s first season behind the bench for the Boston Bruins, the team set NHL records in wins (65), and points (135), amongst numerous Bruins franchise records. As a result, the Boston Bruins won the Presidents’ Trophy for the second time in four seasons after finishing first overall in the 2019-20 regular season under former Bruins and current Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy. The 2022-23 Boston Bruins were also the fourth team in the modern era to lead their division wore-to-wire, and the first since 1943-44, when the Montreal Canadiens went 38-5 for 83 points.

Jim Montgomery and the 2022-23 Boston Bruins also recorded a NHL-record 14-game home winning streak from the start of a season (Oct. 15 to Dec. 3) and were the first team to post five win streaks of seven games or more in a season. The Bruins also had the had the second-highest club goal differential (+128), since the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings (+144).

If Montgomery is named the 2023 Jack Adams Award winner, he will become the fifth Boston Bruins head coach to accomplish the feat after Bruins bench boss to capture the award, joining Don Cherry (1975-76), Pat Burns (1997-98), Claude Julien (2008-09) and Bruce Cassidy (2019-20).

Montgomery, Boston Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs, team president Cam Neely, and general manager Don Sweeney will hold their end of the season media availability on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. ET.