Deadspin | Jack Adams Award finalists: Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, Lindy Ruff 
Jan 24, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff coaches against the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh’s Dan Muse and Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff are the three finalists for the 2026 Jack Adams Award, the league announced Friday.
The award, which is presented annually to the top coach in the NHL as voted on by the National Broadcasters’ Association, will be announced at a later date.
Cooper, 58, guided the Lightning to a 50-26-6 record this season and a ninth consecutive playoff appearance.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Cooper has been a finalist for this award on two occasions (2013-14, 2018-19) — however he has yet to win it.
Muse, 43, succeeded in his first season as head coach of the Penguins, leading the club to a second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins posted a 41-25-16 record (98 points), which represented an 18-point increase from the previous season.
Ruff, 66, helped the Sabres halt a 14-year playoff drought by guiding the club to a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division with a 50-23-9 record. He previously won the Jack Adams Award in 2005-06, during his first stint with the Sabres.
Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals won the award last season.
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Jack #Adams #Award #finalists #Jon #Cooper #Dan #Muse #Lindy #Ruff
Jan 24, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff coaches against the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh’s Dan Muse and Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff are the three finalists for the 2026 Jack Adams Award, the league announced Friday.
The award, which is presented annually to the top coach in the NHL as voted on by the National Broadcasters’ Association, will be announced at a later date.
Cooper, 58, guided the Lightning to a 50-26-6 record this season and a ninth consecutive playoff appearance.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Cooper has been a finalist for this award on two occasions (2013-14, 2018-19) — however he has yet to win it.
Muse, 43, succeeded in his first season as head coach of the Penguins, leading the club to a second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins posted a 41-25-16 record (98 points), which represented an 18-point increase from the previous season.
Ruff, 66, helped the Sabres halt a 14-year playoff drought by guiding the club to a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division with a 50-23-9 record. He previously won the Jack Adams Award in 2005-06, during his first stint with the Sabres.
Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals won the award last season.
–Field Level Media
![Deadspin | Japan’s Kei Nishikori retiring from tennis after 2026 season Aug 8, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Kei Nishikori (JPN) serves against Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Kei Nishikori, once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season. The 36-year-old Japanese trailblazer made the announcement Thursday via social media. “Since I was a child, I have been passionate about tennis and I have continued to pursue it with only one dream in my heart: ‘I want to compete on the world stage.’ Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition, and maintaining a presence in the Top 10 is something I am extremely proud of,” he posted to X. “Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.” Nishikori was the first Japanese man to be ranked in the top 10 in the world. He has won 12 titles, 451 tour matches and just over $26 million on the ATP Tour. It was March 2, 2015, when Nishikori was ranked No. 4 amid tennis’ brightest stars. That week, Novak Djokovic was No. 1, followed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After Nishikori, at No. 5, was Andy Murray. Those four opponents combined to win 69 Grand Slam titles. Nishikori never won one, with his best result coming in 2014 when he defeated Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open final, which he lost to Marin Cilic of Croatia. Nishikori has competed this season in ATP Challenger events. His most recent ATP Tour event came in 2025 at Cincinnati. “My love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court. I feel that all of these experiences have enriched and shaped my life. I am deeply grateful [for] my family and to everyone who has supported me at all times,” Nishikori wrote. “To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even so, looking back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all. “I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Japans #Kei #Nishikori #retiring #tennis #season](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/26805807.jpg "Deadspin | Japan’s Kei Nishikori retiring from tennis after 2026 season Aug 8, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Kei Nishikori (JPN) serves against Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Kei Nishikori, once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season. The 36-year-old Japanese trailblazer made the announcement Thursday via social media. “Since I was a child, I have been passionate about tennis and I have continued to pursue it with only one dream in my heart: ‘I want to compete on the world stage.’ Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition, and maintaining a presence in the Top 10 is something I am extremely proud of,” he posted to X. “Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.” Nishikori was the first Japanese man to be ranked in the top 10 in the world. He has won 12 titles, 451 tour matches and just over $26 million on the ATP Tour. It was March 2, 2015, when Nishikori was ranked No. 4 amid tennis’ brightest stars. That week, Novak Djokovic was No. 1, followed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After Nishikori, at No. 5, was Andy Murray. Those four opponents combined to win 69 Grand Slam titles. Nishikori never won one, with his best result coming in 2014 when he defeated Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open final, which he lost to Marin Cilic of Croatia. Nishikori has competed this season in ATP Challenger events. His most recent ATP Tour event came in 2025 at Cincinnati. “My love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court. I feel that all of these experiences have enriched and shaped my life. I am deeply grateful [for] my family and to everyone who has supported me at all times,” Nishikori wrote. “To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even so, looking back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all. “I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Japans #Kei #Nishikori #retiring #tennis #season")
![Deadspin | Japan’s Kei Nishikori retiring from tennis after 2026 season Aug 8, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Kei Nishikori (JPN) serves against Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Kei Nishikori, once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season. The 36-year-old Japanese trailblazer made the announcement Thursday via social media. “Since I was a child, I have been passionate about tennis and I have continued to pursue it with only one dream in my heart: ‘I want to compete on the world stage.’ Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition, and maintaining a presence in the Top 10 is something I am extremely proud of,” he posted to X. “Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.” Nishikori was the first Japanese man to be ranked in the top 10 in the world. He has won 12 titles, 451 tour matches and just over $26 million on the ATP Tour. It was March 2, 2015, when Nishikori was ranked No. 4 amid tennis’ brightest stars. That week, Novak Djokovic was No. 1, followed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After Nishikori, at No. 5, was Andy Murray. Those four opponents combined to win 69 Grand Slam titles. Nishikori never won one, with his best result coming in 2014 when he defeated Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open final, which he lost to Marin Cilic of Croatia. Nishikori has competed this season in ATP Challenger events. His most recent ATP Tour event came in 2025 at Cincinnati. “My love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court. I feel that all of these experiences have enriched and shaped my life. I am deeply grateful [for] my family and to everyone who has supported me at all times,” Nishikori wrote. “To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even so, looking back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all. “I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Japans #Kei #Nishikori #retiring #tennis #season](https://i1.wp.com/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/26805807.jpg?ssl=1 "Deadspin | Japan’s Kei Nishikori retiring from tennis after 2026 season Aug 8, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Kei Nishikori (JPN) serves against Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Kei Nishikori, once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season. The 36-year-old Japanese trailblazer made the announcement Thursday via social media. “Since I was a child, I have been passionate about tennis and I have continued to pursue it with only one dream in my heart: ‘I want to compete on the world stage.’ Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition, and maintaining a presence in the Top 10 is something I am extremely proud of,” he posted to X. “Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable.” Nishikori was the first Japanese man to be ranked in the top 10 in the world. He has won 12 titles, 451 tour matches and just over $26 million on the ATP Tour. It was March 2, 2015, when Nishikori was ranked No. 4 amid tennis’ brightest stars. That week, Novak Djokovic was No. 1, followed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After Nishikori, at No. 5, was Andy Murray. Those four opponents combined to win 69 Grand Slam titles. Nishikori never won one, with his best result coming in 2014 when he defeated Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open final, which he lost to Marin Cilic of Croatia. Nishikori has competed this season in ATP Challenger events. His most recent ATP Tour event came in 2025 at Cincinnati. “My love for tennis and my belief that I could become a stronger player always brought me back to the court. I feel that all of these experiences have enriched and shaped my life. I am deeply grateful [for] my family and to everyone who has supported me at all times,” Nishikori wrote. “To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even so, looking back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all. “I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Japans #Kei #Nishikori #retiring #tennis #season")
Post Comment