Kraken’s Dave Hakstol named a finalist for coach of the year

The Kraken’s Dave Hakstol is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, presented to the coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success.”

Jim Montgomery, coach of the Boston Bruins, and Lindy Ruff, who oversees the New Jersey Devils, are the other finalists. The announcement came from the NHL on Friday, a travel day for the Kraken between Games 2 and 3 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Hakstol and his staff helped the Kraken to a 40-point turnaround in the standings and a playoff run a year after they were second to last in the Western Conference. The 40-point and 19-win improvement from their inaugural season to the second were the largest in NHL history.

This is Hakstol’s second NHL head-coaching job. He had the same job with the Philadelphia Flyers organization for parts of four seasons and was an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The award is named for the late Jack Adams, longtime coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. Members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association submitted ballots after the regular season concluded.

The winner will be announced during the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on June 26. There are two potential Kraken winners at the moment, as rookie Matty Beniers is a finalist for the Calder Trophy, awarded to “the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.”

Brandon Tanev could join them as the Kraken nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player “best exemplifying perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication to hockey.” Those finalists will be announced Tuesday.