Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter of Viking, Alberta won the Jack Adams Award on Thursday according to the Canadian Press. The Flames exceeded expectations in 2021-22. They were expected to be battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Instead, with Sutter at the helm, the Flames won the Pacific Division with a regular season record of 50 wins, 21 regulation losses, and 11 losses in extra time for 111 points. They had seven more points than the second place Edmonton Oilers.
The fact that Sutter won the award for the first time in his career, could have been a surprise to many. He has 699 career regular season wins with the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Flames. While with the Kings, Sutter guided Los Angeles to Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014.
Darryl Sutter received the award during the broadcast of the Western Conference Finals between the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers. It was the Oilers that knocked out the Flames in five games in the Western Conference semifinals.
In 1991, Darryl’s older brother Brian won the Jack Adams with the St. Louis Blues. Like Darryl, Brian spent time coaching the Flames and Blackhawks in his National Hockey League coaching career.
