Spencer Carbery is in just his second season as an NHL head coach, but he’s already getting recognition as one of the best in the league.
Carbery is the sixth Capitals head coach since the award was first instituted in 1973-74 to be named a finalist. Three Caps bench bosses have taken home the trophy, including Barry Trotz (2016), Bruce Boudreau (2008), and Bryan Murray (1984).
After leading the Capitals to an improbable playoff run in his debut season in Washington, Carbery and his team outperformed expectations again to finish with the Eastern Conference’s best record in 2024-25 (51-22-9), doing so while adding to a tight-knit team culture that has allowed players to flourish.
In part fueled by their head coach’s tireless competitive drive, the Capitals had the most comeback wins in the NHL during the 2024-25 season, earning victories 25 different times after trailing by at least one goal in a game. The team finished second in goals scored (288) and gave up the ninth fewest (232), placing them in a two-way tie for third in goal differential (plus-56).
When the Capitals hired him in May 2023, Carbery was the youngest coach in the NHL at age 41, but he’d already earned hardware for his work in the minor leagues, winning the ECHL’s coach of the year award with the South Carolina Stingrays in 2013-14 and the AHL’s top honor with the 2020-21 Hershey Bears. If he takes home the Jack Adams next month, he would become the first to ever win coach of the year in all three of North America’s top professional leagues.
The Victoria, BC native garnered attention as a potential Jack Adams candidate in his first season as the Capitals pushed their way to the postseason, but ultimately finished seventh in voting after receiving four first-place votes. The Capitals then underwent a full roster makeover last summer, acquiring a slew of new players, and Carbery has quickly gotten them to buy in, and many have had career-best seasons.
Carbery never got close to the NHL during his playing days, playing three seasons in the ECHL before then-Stingrays head coach Jared Bednar convinced him to give coaching a try. More than a decade later, he is now coaching the top seed in the East through the playoffs, barely a month after watching Alex Ovechkin break the all-time goals record — a record in the preseason he correctly predicted he’d break this season.
When the Capitals finished off the Montreal Canadiens in their first-round series on Wednesday night, Carbery became the first Caps coach to win a playoff series since Barry Trotz led them to the 2018 Stanley Cup.
Arniel coached the Jets to a franchise record in both wins and points during his first year behind the bench, ending the regular season with a 56-22-4 record. The Jets became the first team in NHL history to win 15 of its first 16 games of the season, and won the Presidents’ Trophy by a margin of five points over the second-place Capitals.
St. Louis coached the Canadiens to their first playoff series since the 2020-21 season, putting up an overall record of 40-31-11. After ranking last in the league on November 15, the Canadiens went 15-5-6 after the 4 Nations break and clinched the second wild-card spot in their final game of the regular season.
Here’s the full press release from the NHL:
Arniel, Carbery and St. Louis Voted Jack Adams Award Finalists
NEW YORK (May 2, 2025) – Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals and Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens are the three finalists for the 2024‑25 Jack Adams Award, presented to the head coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success,” the National Hockey League announced today.
Members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association submitted ballots for the Jack Adams Award at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.
Following are the finalists, in alphabetical order:
Scott Arniel, Winnipeg Jets
Arniel, in his first year as head coach of the Jets, guided Winnipeg (56-22-4, 116 points) to franchise records for wins and points in a season en route to the team’s first Presidents’ Trophy. Only three head coaches in NHL history have earned more victories in their first season at the helm of an organization: Jim Montgomery (65 in 2022-23 w/ BOS), Mike Babcock (58 in 2005-06 w/ DET) and Tom Johnson (57 in 1970-71 w/ BOS). Arniel, who became the first head coach in League history to win each of his first eight games with a club (Oct. 9-26), additionally helped Winnipeg become the first team in NHL history to win 15 of its first 16 contests of a season (Oct. 9 – Nov. 12). The Jets ultimately allowed the fewest goals in the NHL (191, including shootout-deciding goals) to capture their second straight William M. Jennings Trophy; topped the League and set a franchise record for road wins (26); boasted the NHL’s best power play (28.9%) and goal differential (+86); and tied for the third-most goals in the League (277, including shootout-deciding goals). Arniel is the second Winnipeg head coach in as many seasons who has been selected as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, after Rick Bowness finished third in voting in 2023-24, and is vying to become the first winner in Jets/Thrashers history.
Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals
Carbery, in his second year as Washington’s head coach, led the Capitals (51-22-9, 111 points) to the No. 2 overall record in the NHL as well as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2016-17. After seeing an 11-point improvement during his first season, Washington jumped 20 points this year – the third-largest gain from 2023-24 behind only Columbus (+23) and Anaheim (+21). The Capitals also boasted a 68-goal improvement in total offense (including shootout-deciding goals), rising from 28th place in 2023-24 (220) to second this season (288). The team additionally finished among the League leaders in comeback wins (1st; 25), road points (t-1st; 53), goal differential (t-3rd; +56), penalty killing (5th; 82.0%), home points (7th; 58) and goals against (9th; 232, including shootout-deciding goals). Carbery is vying to become the fourth Washington head coach to win the Jack Adams Award, following Bryan Murray (1983-84), Bruce Boudreau (2007-08) and Barry Trotz (2015-16). He also is looking to become the first individual capture coach of the year honors at the ECHL, AHL and NHL levels, after winning the ECHL’s John Brophy Award in 2013-14 (South Carolina Stingrays) and the AHL’s Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award in 2020-21 (Hershey Bears).
Martin St. Louis, Montreal Canadiens
St. Louis, in his third full season behind the Montreal bench, directed the Canadiens (40-31-11, 91 points) to their first playoff berth since 2020-21 and their best overall record since 2018-19 (44-30-8, 96 points). The team continued its upward trajectory under St. Louis’ leadership, posting a 15-point improvement over last season’s 28th-place finish following an eight-point rise from 2022-23 to 2023-24. That three-year stretch also has seen the Canadiens steadily increase their offense (from 232 GF in 2022-23 to 236 GF in 2023-24 and 245 GF in 2024-25), while tightening their defense (from 307 GA in 2022-23 to 289 GA in 2023-24 and 265 GA in 2024-25). Among the largest improvements has been Montreal’s penalty kill, which went from 29th in 2022-23 (72.7%) to 24th in 2023-24 (76.5%) and ninth this season (80.9%). St. Louis – who won four individual NHL Awards as a player (Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: 3x, Art Ross Trophy: 2x, Hart Memorial Trophy: 1x, Ted Lindsay Award: 1x) – is the Canadiens’ first Jack Adams Award finalist since 2007-08, when Guy Carbonneau placed second in voting, and is seeking to become the franchise’s third winner, following Scotty Bowman (1976-77) and Pat Burns (1988-89).
History
The award was presented by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association in 1974 in honor of the late Jack Adams, longtime coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings.
Announcement Schedule
The series of NHL Trophy finalist announcements continues Monday, May 5, when the three finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy will be unveiled.
