May 10, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery walks off the ice after their loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in game three of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals was named the winner of the 2024-25 Jack Adams Award on Saturday.
The honor is presented to the NHL coach who is judged to have made the biggest contribution to a team’s success.
While attending what he thought was a season-ending interview, the 43-year-old Carbery was presented with the award by his wife, Casey, and their children, Hudson and Vivian.
Spencer Carbery got quite the surprise from his family after winning the Jack Adams Award. ??
Watch the #NHLAwards on June 12 at 6p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @Sportsnet before Game 4 of the #StanleyCup Final! pic.twitter.com/gLKxCO00C5
— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2025
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“Wow, I had no idea,” a clearly stunned and choked-up Carbery said.
If that weren’t emotional enough for Carbery, extended family members from throughout the U.S. and Canada also were there to share in the moment.
Carbery led the Capitals to a 51-22-9 (111 points) record this season as the team finished first in the Eastern Conference in his second season as Washington’s coach. He becomes the fourth coach in franchise history to win the award, joining Bryan Murray (1983-84), Bruce Boudreau (2007-08) and Barry Trotz (2015-16).
He is also the first person recognized as coach of the year in the ECHL, AHL and NHL.
The members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association select the Jack Adams winner.
Carbery received 81 first-place votes on the 103 ballots cast and finished with 464 points. Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets had 249 points, followed by Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens with 66.
The Capitals lost in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.
–Field Level Media
