New York Islanders: Barry Trotz Wins Jack Adams Trophy

Barry Trotz has become the first New York Islanders head coach to win the Jack Adams Trophy in 40 years. He wasn’t favored, but he deserved it.

New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz has won his second Jack Adams Trophy as head coach of the year. An award he truly deserves. He’s the second New York Islanders coach to win the award since Al Arbour did it back in 1979.

Of all the moves that Lou Lamoriello make this season, Barry Trotz was perhaps Lou’s biggest acquisition since becoming the team President and General Manager.

The veteran coach was instrumental in turning the New York Islanders from league fodder at the start of the season, to reach the second round of the playoffs that same year.

Jack Adams Trophy | Coach of the Year

NYI Rep: Barry Trotz (+130)
Competition: Craig Berube (+550), Jon Cooper (-105)

The Jack Adams trophy typically goes to a coach who was able to get the most out of a bad situation. That’s exactly what Barry Trotz did with the New York Islanders this season.

They lost their star center and had little talent on the roster before that. The situation looked dire for Barty Trotz first year for the Islanders. But playing a strong defensive game that relied on everyone buying in the Islanders defied expectations and made it to the playoffs with a 103 point season.

But if turning a team around is the main deciding factor for awarding coach of the year St. Louis Blues interim head coach Craig Berube has a serious claim. The Blues were dead in the water in November when he was hired to replace Mike Yeo. Berube coached the Blues to within a point of the division lead. (And won the Stanley Cup, although that doesn’t factor into the voting.)

Finalist Jon Cooper might not have had to make the best of a bad situation, but he still did one hell of a job. The Tampa Bay Lightning were going to be a good team this season, everyone knew that. But Cooper still coached them to the best record in the NHL ever with 128 points.

All three have a fair claim to the trophy. But based on how this trophy is typically award you have to think that Barry Trotz was a fair choice.