Presented By
The award was presented to the NHL Broadcasters' Association in 1974 to commemorate the late Jack Adams, coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings during the club's glory days of the late 1940's and early 1950's. This is an annual award presented by NHL Broadcasters' Association to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success.
Leading winners: Pat Burns (3), Scotty Bowman, Jacques Demers, Pat Quinn, Barry Trotz (2).
| 2018-19 | Trotz, Barry | New York Islanders |
| 2017-18 | Gallant, Gerard | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2016-17 | Tortorella, John | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 2015-16 | Trotz, Barry | Washington Capitals |
| 2014-15 | Hartley, Bob | Calgary Flames |
| 2013-14 | Roy, Patrick | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2012-13 | MacLean, Paul | Ottawa Senators |
| 2011-12 | Hitchcock, Ken | St. Louis Blues |
| 2010-11 | Bylsma, Dan | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2009-10 | Tippett, Dave | Phoenix Coyotes |
| 2008-09 | Julien, Claude | Boston Bruins |
| 2007-08 | Boudreau, Bruce | Washington Capitals |
| 2006-07 | Vigneault, Alain | Vancouver Canucks |
| 2005-06 | Ruff, Lindy | Buffalo Sabres |
| 2003-04 | Tortorella, John | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2002-03 | Lemaire, Jacques | Minnesota Wild |
| 2001-02 | Francis, Bob | Phoenix Coyotes |
| 2000-01 | Barber, Bill | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1999-2000 | Quenneville, Joel | St. Louis Blues |
| 1998-99 | Martin, Jacques | Ottawa Senators |
| 1997-98 | Burns, Pat | Boston Bruins |
| 1996-97 | Nolan, Ted | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1995-96 | Bowman, Scotty | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1994-95 | Crawford, Marc | Quebec Nordiques |
| 1993-94 | Lemaire, Jacques | New Jersey Devils |
| 1992-93 | Burns, Pat | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1991-92 | Quinn, Pat | Vancouver Canucks |
| 1990-91 | Sutter, Brian | St. Louis Blues |
| 1989-90 | Murdoch, Bob | Winnipeg Jets |
| 1988-89 | Burns, Pat | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1987-88 | Demers, Jacques | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1986-87 | Demers, Jacques | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1985-86 | Sather, Glen | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1984-85 | Keenan, Mike | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1983-84 | Murray, Bryan | Washington Capitals |
| 1982-83 | Tessier, Orval | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1981-82 | Watt, Tom | Winnipeg Jets |
| 1980-81 | Berenson, Red | St. Louis Blues |
| 1979-80 | Quinn, Pat | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1978-79 | Arbour, Al | New York Islanders |
| 1977-78 | Kromm, Bobby | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1976-77 | Bowman, Scotty | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1975-76 | Cherry, Don | Boston Bruins |
| 1974-75 | Pulford, Bob | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1973-74 | Shero, Fred | Philadelphia Flyers |
