Arniel, Carbery, St. Louis voted 2025 Jack Adams Award Finalists
Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals, and Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens are the 2024-25 finalists for the Jack Adams Award, presented annually to the Coach of the Year, the NHL announced Friday.
In his first season behind the bench in Winnipeg, Arniel guided the Jets to a 56-22-4 showing and the franchise’s first-ever Presidents’ Trophy in recognition of the NHL’s top regular-season record. Of note, the Jets closed out the regular season with a league-leading powerplay efficiency of 28.9 percent, while also pacing the NHL with the fewest goals against, coming in at 191, and the largest goal differential at plus-86.
Arniel previously served two seasons as an associate coach with the Jets and assumed the top job following the retirement of Rick Bowness. Prior to the Jets, Arniel served as an assistant with the Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers, and Capitals. Arniel was also the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010-12.
For Carbery, the second-year Capitals head coach guided the club to a 20-point improvement from a year ago to finish at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 51-22-9 record and 111 points. In all, it marked the league’s third-largest year-over-year jump in the standings. Of note, the Capitals also led the NHL with 25 comeback wins.
Prior to arriving in Washington, Carbery spent two years as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Carbery has also served as head coach of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, and AHL’s Hershey Bears. Carbery can become the fourth Capitals head coach to claim the Jack Adams Award, following Bryan Murray, Bruce Boudreau, and Barry Trotz.
For St. Louis, the fourth-year Canadiens head coach led the team to a 40-31-11 record and 91 points, a 15-point improvement from a year ago that helped the squad clinch the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. In all, it marked the Canadiens’ first trip to the postseason since 2021 and the team’s best overall showing since 2019.
A Jack Adams Award win would see St. Louis become the third Canadiens head coach to claim the trophy, following Scotty Bowman and Pat Burns.