Jack Adams Award: History, Montreal Canadiens Past Winners
By Nate Duffett
Pat Burns, 1988-89
Pat Burns was the second and last Canadiens coach to win the Jack Adams Award. He led the Adams Division with 53 wins and 115 points, the only team in the conference to eclipse 100 points. The Canadiens won the Prince of Wales Trophy but lost to the Calgary Flames in an All-Canadian Stanley Cup Final.
The 1988-89 season was special since it was Burns' first as a head coach. He led the Canadiens to the second round in each of his seasons but resigned after the 1991-92 season due to pressure from the media.
Burns went to the rival-Toronto Maple Leafs instead, advancing to the Conference Finals in his first season and winning the Jack Adams Trophy again.
Burns also coached with the Boston Bruins, starting in 1997, and won the award in his first season with that team. He was the first coach to win the award three times and still holds the record ahead of Bowman, Jacques Demers, Pat Quinn, and Barry Trotz who have two each.
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