Sutter, in his first full season since returning to Calgary for his second stint behind the bench, oversaw the biggest season-over-season improvement by any team in the League. The Flames, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020-21 (26-27-3, .491), stormed to the Pacific Division title with the NHL's sixth-best record (50-21-11, .677). They climbed from 19th to 6th in goals-per-game (2.77 to 3.55) and improved from 16th to 3rd in goals-against per contest (2.86 to 2.51).
Sutter captured his first career Jack Adams Award in his second appearance as a finalist, coming 18 years after his third-place finish in 2003-04 during his first coaching tenure in Calgary. He is the second winner in franchise history, following Bob Hartley's victory in 2014-15, and matches the feat of his brother Brian Sutter, who won the award with the St. Louis Blues in 1990-91.