Finalists for Jack Adams Award are Todd McLellan, John Tortorella and Mike Babcock

The Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year nominees were announced on Wednesday with John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Mike Babcock of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Todd McLellan of the Edmonton Oilers as the top three finalists. 

Babcock, led the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2013. With a fourth-place Atlantic Division finish, their 95-point season was an improvement of 26-points from the previous season. 

The Leafs’ 40-27-15 record was the most wins for the franchise since they put up 40 wins during the 2006-2007 National Hockey League season. 

In his second season with Toronto, Babcock was also finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2008 and 2014, with the Detroit Red Wings. 

McLellan, led the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance since the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. A second place, Pacific Division finish during the 2016-2017 season, with 105 points, was a 33-point improvement from the 2015-2016 season. 

The Oilers 47-26-9 record, was their franchise’s best since they won 50 games during the 1986-1987 season. 

McLellan, in his second season behind the Oilers bench, was a finalist for the San Jose Sharks in 2009.

Tortorella, led the Blue Jackets to a 50 win and 108-point season, the franchise’s best since they joined the NHL 17 years ago. While finishing third in the Metropolitan Division, Columbus made the postseason for their third time. 

During the 2016-2017 season, the Blue Jackets put together a 16-game winning streak, falling one win shy of tying the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL record breaking streak from 1992-1993.

Tortorella won the Jack Adams Award in 2004, after leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup Championship. He was also a finalist in 2003 with the Lightning and again in 2012 with the New York Rangers. 

The winning coach will find which one of them gets to take home the hardware on June 21, when the league’s newest franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights will host the 2017 NHL Awards and Expansion Draft at their new home the T-Mobile Arena. NBCSN in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada will broadcast the event at 7:30 PM.