Which coaches have a good shot to win the Adams this year?

Last year, my pick to win the Adams came in with Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who I felt was going to get sympathy from voters for not getting one in all his years in Tampa of winning cups and building a Lightning system that will define their identity for many years.  Did Lindy Ruff deserve it? Probably yes, but these awards have a tendency to take more things into account than they should. The Bolts team is getting long in the tooth, and there may not have been many more chances for Cooper to get one as a Tampa Bay Lightning. Who gets it this year?

I have been trumpeting Travis Green for a long time now and had him as a pick to win the Adams last year. If it wasn't for some goaltending issues where Ulmark had some personal problems and the backup Meralainen having a terrible year he just may have. This year though he has the advantage of the fact that their captain the last few years Brady Tkachuk asked for and was given a trade last year to the Florida Panthers and if he can get this Ottawa team into the playoffs in the tough Atlantic division without Tkachuk the narrative for many voters will be that Green is a big reason why. I think he will do so as he has built an awesome defensive system in Ottawa and is one of the best coaches in the league. +2000 for you betting fans

Next to impossible to find an image of Tourigny smiling and for good reason. Andre has not had much to smile about coaching this team when it was the Arizona Coyotes, Constant team relocation rumors and coaching a rebuilding team in a college arena can do that to a person. Seriously though Tourigny is a very serious and competitive coach that sets the tone for his team with his ever-present scowl behind the bench. Andre has done a wonderful job developing the Mammoth/Coyote players and teaching his aggressive fast transition puck possession system and it is now paying off big. Ownership has taken notice and went out and added great vets like Anders Lee and Vinny Trocheck over the summer to give Tourigny more weapons to succeed. I have Utah winning the Central this year and if they do or come close, I imagine Tourigny will be the sexy pick for voters to get him his first Adams he richly deserves +2000 for you betting fans 

As I mentioned in the start of the article Lindy Ruff probably should have won the award last year for leading the Sabres to their first playoff appearance in 14 years. Lindy has transformed the Sabres into a strong man-on-man defensive team and has helped the young players on Buffalo to finally reach their potential. Ruff is a meticulous task master whose system relies heavily on quick defensive puck possession and transition and a very aggressive, tougher to learn, but extremely effective system. Previous recent coaches of Buffalo could not seem to get the best out of the players in Buffalo, but he certainly did. Voters probably know he should have got one last year and if the Sabres can emulate their success from last year there will be plenty of sympathy narrative to get Ruff his first Adams of his already long NHL career. +2500 for you betting fans .

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