Three out of four Pensburgh peeps who were in on the pre-NHL Awards predictions accurately tabbed Dan Bylsma as the Jack Adams Award winner. All but JustinM, who will now spend the rest of the summer trying to make penance for his sins.
The interesting aspect to this season's award is that it wasn't given to a guy who managed his team from a worst-to-first record or strung together a ridiculous win streak. While I'm sure Pittsburgh early start to the season was a consideration for this award, I believe the real clincher to ultimately send DB home with the hardware comes with the fact that he kept the team afloat in the face of two major injuries to the team's top stars.
Not only did the Penguins lose Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to start the 2011 calendar year, but they did so and remained top contenders in the Atlantic division and the Eastern Conference. He did it with the few homegrown pieces he had to work with and the few minor additions courtesy of general manager Ray Shero. If that's not the makings of a Jack Adams Award winner then I don't know what is.
Here's the rest of the 2010-11 Award Winners:
Corey Perry | Hart |
Tim Thomas | Vezina |
Nicklas Lidstrom | Norris |
Jeff Skinner | Calder |
Martin St. Louis | Lady Byng |
Ryan Kesler | Selke |
Daniel Sedin | Ted Lindsay |
Zdeno Chara | Messier Leadership Award |
Dustin Brown | NHL Foundation Award |
Ian Laperriere | Bill Masterton |