To mark the first quarter of the 2024-25 regular season, NHL.com is running its second installment of the Trophy Tracker series this week. Today, we look at the race for the Jack Adams Award, given annually to the top coach in the NHL as selected in a vote by the NHL Broadcasters' Association.
Scott Arniel could have never imagined this good of a start.
The Winnipeg Jets coach talked about the importance of banking points from Day 1 after a 6-3 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12 made them the fastest team in NHL history to 15 wins. At age 62, Arniel is guiding his second NHL team (Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010-12) and was a Jets associate for two seasons before succeeding the retired Rick Bowness.
It's highly unlikely Arniel or anyone in Winnipeg, the province of Manitoba or all of Canada thought the Jets would get 30 points through 17 games, fewer than only the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres (15-1-1) and 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks (14-0-3). Their run to 15 wins was quicker than the 2022-23 Boston Bruins, 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, 2006-07 Sabres, 1985-86 Philadelphia Flyers and 1929-30 Bruins -- all in 17 games.
The Jets needed 16. They also won 16 straight regular-season games dating back to last season before a 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 28. Winnipeg’s 2023-24 season ended with a five-game loss to the Colorado Avalanche in the best-of-7 Western Conference First Round. It was humbling coming off 52 wins, 110 points and second in the Central, three points behind the Dallas Stars, yet changes were minimal.
Bowness to Arniel has been a seamless transition, and 20 of the 22 players who have played at least one game for the Jets this season were with them last season, defenseman Haydn Fleury and goalie Eric Comrie the only newcomers.
"Yeah, I don't think I quite drew it up this way, but certainly the guys have earned every inch of it," Arniel said.
A panel of 15 NHL.com writers say Arniel has earned recognition as the favorite to win the Jack Adams Award with 72 voting points, including 12 for first place. Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals received 48 points (two for first). John Hynes of the Minnesota Wild (35) was third and Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour (32, one first-place vote) ranked fourth.
Arniel called taking the Jets coaching job a "full-circle" moment three days after he was named Bowness' successor May 24. He was selected by the original Jets in the second round (No. 22) of the 1981 NHL Draft and played six of his 11 NHL seasons for Winnipeg from 1981-1986 and 1990-91, finishing his playing career and starting his coaching career with Manitoba of the International Hockey League. He allowed himself another moment to reflect after the Jets set an NHL record with their 14th win in their first 15 games to start a season when they defeated the as Stars 4-1 at Canada Life Centre on Nov. 9.
That made the Jets 6-0-0 against the Central Division and the fourth team in the past decade to win each of their first six against divisional opponents.
"I'm pretty amazed, a little bit," Arniel said. "At the same time, these players, they do have to recognize that it's an amazing feat what they've done so far. It's historic, but I just can't stress enough … it is about how we let the last game go and move on to the next opponent. … The players have done a fantastic job of putting things in perspective in each game, each situation, and moving on to the next. I'd be awfully proud of what they've done."
They're getting it done thanks to franchise icons like Connor Hellebuyck. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner voted as the best goalie in the NHL had a shutout streak of 191:47 from 7:38 of the third period (Nikita Kucherov) in a 7-4 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 3 to 18:38 of the third against the Stars (Roope Hintz) that broke Ondrej Pavelec's Jets/Atlanta Thrashers record of 187:05 set in 2014-15.
Thirteen skaters were on pace entering Saturday to either tie or pass their NHL career highs in points, including Kyle Connor (106), Mark Scheifele (101), Nikolaj Ehlers (96) and Josh Morrissey (82).
"I think there's no complacency," Scheifele said after Winnipeg won its eighth consecutive game to start the season, 5-3 at the Calgary Flames on Oct. 26. "We've found ways to get wins, but I think the biggest thing is to continue to work at things and continue to get better.
"You can't let complacency set in because we've won a few in a row."
Don't count on it, not with the Jets 15-3-0 and home to play the Florida Panthers on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, SCRIPPS), a rematch after the reigning Stanley Cup champions defeated them 5-0 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday.
Instead of returning to the drawing board, Winnipeg is loving what it is creating, also knowing there's a long way to go.
"We've won in different ways," Arniel said. "That is built from familiarity."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1- basis): Scott Arniel, Jets, 72 votes (12 first-place votes); Spencer Carbery, Capitals, 48 (two first-place votes); John Hynes, Wild, 35; Rod Brind'Amour, Hurricanes, 32 (one first-place vote); Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey Devils, 20; Paul Maurice, Panthers, 14; Andre Tourigny, Utah Hockey Club, 1; Ryan Huska, Calgary Flames, 1; Bruce Cassidy, Vegas Golden Knights, 1; Jim Hiller, Los Angeles Kings, 1.
NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen, and independent correspondents Darrin Bauming and Aaron Vickers contributed to this report
