ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has earned recognition for his job behind the bench, as he was named one of the finalists for the Jack Adams Award on Friday.
Carbery joins former Capitals assistant and Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel and Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis as one of three candidates for the award, which goes to the head coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success," as voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association.
This marks Carbery's first Jack Adams nomination in just his second year as a head caoch. After helping D.C. sneak into the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year, the 43-year-old led the Capitals to a 51-22-9 record in 2024-25 to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference and the No. 2 overall seed in the league.
Carbery also transformed the offense, rising from the 28th-most goals last year to the secon-dmost in the league this season. The Capitals also led the league in comeback wins (25) and road points (53), while ranking in the top five in goal differential (plus-56, tied for third) and on the penalty kill (82 percent, fifth).
If Carbery wins, he'd be the fourth bench boss in franchise history to win the award, joining Bryan Murray, Bruce Boudreau and Barry Trotz. He would also be the first coach in history to earn coach of the year honors at the ECHL, AHL and NHL levels.
"I can tell you it means a lot to me, coaching (and being) in this league. I've never once taken it for granted. So preseason game, regular-season game, playoff, winning a playoff series, it all to me is, I count my lucky stars every single day," Carbery said before leading his team past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018. "I do not take this job of being in this league for granted for a second.
"I started in the East Coast League 15 years ago as an assistant coach. So it's been a long journey. I'm the same exact person that I was in South Carolina. I'm a better coach, I feel like. But in terms of being thankful to be able to coach and be in this profession, every single day, I'm just very, very fortunate."