We'll start with the Montreal Canadiens' leading man. Martin St. Louis had a tumultuous season behind the bench of the Habs, and some people still might not be convinced that he is the one to lead the Canadiens into their next era. However, after a bad start to the season and lower expectations, St. Louis did the improbable and led the young team to the playoffs. The playoffs might have been a bit of a disappointment, but it's hard to argue that he deserves a nomination for the Jack Adams Trophy.
It's also hard to argue with the other two selections for the award. We start with Scott Arniel, who led the Winnipeg Jets to the President's Trophy in his first season at the helm. The lifelong assistant coach is getting his first head coaching gig since 2012, and he is making the most of his opportunity. Arniel's resume in fans' eyes might severely diminish if the Jets lose Game 7 on Sunday night against the St. Louis Blues, but it's a regular season award and the voters already decided.
Spencer Carbery is a name that is too familiar and too fresh for Canadiens fans. He led the Washington Capitals to an improbable first seed in the Eastern Conference and has the team playing well over their capabilities. Carbery was a coaching threat since his days in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, and he likely has a long career and many Jack Adams Trophy nominations ahead of him.
Jack Adams Trophy snubs
I won't diminish any of the other nominations, as they all deserve to be there in their own right. However, there are some coaches who could've also gotten the nod. The main one is the guy who will lead his team into the battle on Sunday night, as Jim Montgomery has completely turned the Blues' season around. Montgomery joined mid-season after his firing from the Boston Bruins, and it's hard to argue that he isn't the coach that has the biggest impact on his organization.
Dean Evason is another coach that I would've liked to see make his way onto this list. He had to navigate some difficult times for the Columbus Blue Jackets after the Johnny Gaudreau tragedy, and he was able to give his players a safe space to go and perform with the weight of that loss in their lives on their shoulders. Evason should be commended for his sensitivity to the situation, and his ability to pull the team together.
It's also hard to argue that Evason wasn't the one who did the most with what he was given. The Blue Jackets started the season under the salary cap floor, but nearly snuck into the playoffs if the Canadiens had lost one more game to end the season.