Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, Lindy Ruff up for coach of year award - ESPN

Jon Cooper, Dan Muse and Lindy Ruff have been named the finalists for the Jack Adams Award, the NHL announced Friday.

The Adams is awarded to the head coach who is «adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success.»

Cooper, who is the NHL's longest-tenured coach, guided the Tampa Bay Lightning to their ninth consecutive playoff appearance. The 58-year-old has coached the team to five 50-win campaigns and seven seasons of more than 100 points.

Under Cooper, the Lightning were in the top five in goals scored per game and fewest goals allowed per game. They also finished with the No. 3 penalty kill in the NHL with an 82.6% success rate.

A three-time Adams finalist, Cooper is seeking to win the award for the first time in his career. If so, he would become the second coach in Lightning history to win the Adams behind John Tortorella.

Muse, who was hired last offseason by the Penguins, took over a team that had missed the playoffs for three straight seasons and guided it back to the postseason. Pittsburgh would ultimately lose in the first round to the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers.

In his first NHL season, Muse, 43, was forced to make a series of adjustments to his lineup. The Penguins navigated injuries and inconsistencies in a season that saw them play a league-high 44 players.

If Muse were to win, he would be the first rookie head coach since Patrick Roy in 2013-14 to capture the Adams. He's the third coach in Penguins history to be a finalist, joining Dan Bylsma and Michel Therrien. Bylsma won the award in 2010-11.

Ruff, who is in his second stint with the Sabres, guided the club to its first playoff appearance in 14 seasons. The Sabres' postseason drought was so long that they entered the season tied