Anaheim’s surprising rise and Colorado’s overwhelming dominance have shaped one of the most compelling Jack Adams Award races in recent memory. As the NHL season nears its midpoint, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville stands as the betting favorite at +230, but Avalanche bench boss Jared Bednar is close behind at +350. Both coaches have built strong cases, each rooted in a different kind of success. Anaheim has been the league’s breakout story with the Ducks holding the seventh-best record in the NHL at 15-8-1, a significant leap for a team that finished with the 25th-best mark at 35-37-10 last season. Quenneville has orchestrated that turnaround with a blend of structural refinement and personnel decisions. His reshaped lineup has leaned on key offseason additions such as Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund, along with 2025 first round pick Beckett Sennecke. The mix has produced a more dynamic and reliable attack that consistently finds ways to win. Perhaps the most notable development has been the emergence of 20-year-old center Leo Carlsson. Under Quenneville’s guidance, Carlsson has taken a major step forward and sits at 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points in 24 games. Quenneville’s track record remains one of the strongest in the league. He is a four-time Stanley Cup champion and previously won the Jack Adams Award with the St. Louis Blues in the 1999-2000 season. His case this year is built on dramatic team improvement and a clear restoration of identity. Bednar’s bid is built on sheer dominance as the Avalanche have stormed through the league with a 17-1-6 record, a pace that has drawn comparisons to the Boston Bruins' 2022-23 campaign when they set the NHL regular season wins record at 65-12-5. Last year’s 49-29-4 finish already placed Colorado among the league’s better teams, but the jump from strong to nearly unstoppable has been striking. Bednar has positioned several key players in ways to help them reach new levels, including defenseman Cale Makar, who is in the midst of the best stretch of his career. Makar has nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points in 24 games, anchoring a roster that continues to overwhelm opponents with speed, structure, and relentless puck movement. Quenneville represents revival, lifting a young team with potential into genuine contention while Bednar represents superiority, pushing an already elite roster into historically dominant territory. With months still to play, the Jack Adams conversation is far from settled, but for now it is defined by two coaches leading their teams on dramatically different yet equally impressive paths. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7580a307-e387-4cc9-86ee-6eeb7a5cf1a7.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
