Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - After coming up empty on three previous
tries, St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock was finally honored as the
NHL's top coach, taking home the Jack Adams Award.
Hitchcock took over for Davis Payne on November 6 and turned a team
languishing with a 6-7-0 record into a Presidents' Trophy contender. The Blues
finished the year tied for second in the league with 109 points (49-22-11) and
wrested the Central Division away from the rival Red Wings for the first time
since 2000.
For the 60-year-old native of Edmonton, it was his fourth career Adams nod.
He finished second in 1997, and third in both 1998 and '99, all with the
Dallas Stars.
Previous Jack Adams winners from the Blues were Red Berenson (1981), Brian
Sutter (1991) and Joel Quenneville (2000).
Other finalists were Paul MacLean of the Ottawa Senators and John Tortorella
from the New York Rangers.
Dan Bylsma of the Pittsburgh Penguins won last season.
The Sports Network