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NHL awards spark controversy over coaching and MVP selections

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 13, 2026, 1:47 PM

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

Hockey

Summary

The NHL awards have been announced, eliciting strong reactions regarding several winners. Jon Cooper received the Jack Adams Award, but many argue it was undeserved, favoring coaches Lindy Ruff and Dan Muse. Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy for MVP despite criticisms over his impact, and Andrei Vasilevskiy secured the Vezina Trophy for best goalie. The outcome reflects broader discussions about the criteria for these honors, with critics asserting that expectations, rather than individual achievements, influenced voting. The implications of these selections may shift perceptions of coaching success and player value in the league.

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Status Watch

•Jon Cooper wins Jack Adams Award amid controversy.
•Lindy Ruff and Dan Muse seen as more deserving candidates.
•Kucherov takes home Hart Trophy despite debate on his value.
•Vasilevskiy named best goalie, adding to coaching award discussions.

Latest Updates

1:47 PMYahoo Sports — Lyons' look: The NHL awards were a joke

What they're saying

"
The NHL awards have been announced, and this is one of the worst groups of winners ever. The NHL award voters had clearly made up their minds about a quarter of the way into the season, and nothing was going to change their minds. Jack Adams joke To be fair to my first statement, most of the awards were truly not horrible. Zach Werenski winning his first Norris, Matthew Schaffer winning the ...
— Yahoo Sports

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