Patrick Roy Named Finalist for Jack Adams Award

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

NHL.com announced today that Colorado Avalanche head coach, Patrick Roy, is one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Award. Finalists are selected by members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association who vote for the head coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success.” The other two finalists are Mike Babcock, from the Detroit Red Wings and Jon Cooper, from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The winner will be announced June 24th.

More about Roy from NHL.com:

"“Roy lifted the Avalanche (52-22-8, 112 points) to a historic turnaround in his rookie season as an NHL head coach, helping the team finish third in the overall League standings after placing 29th in 2012-13. Colorado became the first club since the NHL expanded to 21 teams in 1979 to go from the bottom three to top three in a single season. The Avalanche matched a franchise record for wins, recorded the NHL’s best road mark (26-11-4), ranked fourth in the League in goals (250) and did not suffer a regulation loss when leading after two periods (35-0-3).”"

Roy being a finalist for this award should not surprise anyone, especially Avalanche fans. Even after a disappointing first round defeat in the playoffs, there is nowhere to look but up for the Colorado Avalanche next season. I thought Roy did an excellent job of acknowledging the accomplishments of his team while clearly wishing the season didn’t end the way it did.

A lot of people in Denver paid more attention to hockey in the last few weeks than I bet they have for years.  Pepsi Center looked like the absolute best place to be during the playoff home games. Roy can be credited with a lot of the team’s success and it doesn’t hurt that he has a way with words in his press conferences and interviews. Soon enough we’ll be hearing more “Why Not Us” and the Avalanche will hopefully be ready to put their “balls on the table” and make another run for the Stanley Cup.