Jets’ Arniel, Canadiens’ St. Louis and Capitals’ Carbery named Jack Adams finalists

Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery, left, shakes hands with Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, right, after Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

NEW YORK – Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens and Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top head coach.

The league announced the finalists Friday, following a vote conducted by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.

Arniel led Winnipeg (56-22-4, 116 points) to top spot in the overall standings in his first season behind the bench. That earned the Jets the first Presidents’ Trophy in their history.

Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery, left, shakes hands with Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, right, after Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

He is the second Winnipeg head coach in as many seasons to be named an award finalist. Rick Bowness finished third in voting in 2023-24.

Under St. Louis, Montreal (40-31-11, 91 points) earned its first post-season berth since 2020-21 and best overall record since 2018-19. St. Louis, in his third full season as Canadiens head coach, is the club’s first Adams finalist since 2007-08 when Guy Carbonneau placed second in voting.

St. Louis is looking to become Montreal’s third winner after Scotty Bowman (1976-77) and Pat Burns (1988-89).

Carbery led Washington (51-22-9, 111 points) to second in the NHL’s overall standings in his second season as head coach. The Capitals also earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2016-17.