The St. Louis Blues are on a hot streak and climbing up the power rankings of the NHL. Once this season comes to a close, there might be some hardware coming back to the 'Lou. It could be a Stanley Cup, or even an individual award at the NHL Awards Ceremony.
But, who would be able to throw their hat in on one of those awards? Is there a player, or even a coach? The most likely outcome, would have to be about one of the big acquisitions of this season and partly the reason why the Blues are in such a great position nearing Playoff time.
Jim Montgomery
The most likely recipient of an NHL Award would have to be Head Coach Jim Montgomery. He was the greatest pick-up this season, and his presence in St. Louis has been successful. Since November 24, when the Blues fired Drew Bannister and hired Montgomery, the Blues have a record of 25-16-6.
The turnaround was a seamless one, as the players responded positively to the coaching change. Many took a liking to him as he was once an assistant coach to Craig Berube from 2020 to 2022. General Manager Doug Armstrong liked his ability to get great production from the elite players on the roster, especially David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand in Boston, and transitioned that to Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou in St. Louis.
Jack Adams Finalist?
There have been a ton of great coaches this season, like Scott Arniel on the Presidents' Trophy leading the Winnipeg Jets, or Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals. But, Montgomery may have a chance if the Blues can make it into the playoffs and survive longer then those two teams mentioned. If the Blues can make it to the Western Conference final, or even the Stanley Cup final, or even win the whole thing, Montgomery may be a lock for his second Jack Adams Award.
There is nobody eligible for the highest scoring and goals honors like the Rocket Richard or the Most Valuable Player award, the Hart Memorial trophy. But, Montgomery is certainly a valid candidate for the Jack Adams Award, depending on the outcome of this season.