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Dallas Stars: Five Potential 2018-19 NHL Award Winners

By Summer LeBel

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 24: Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars poses in the press room after winning the Art Ross Trophy at the 2015 NHL Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 24, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 24: Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars poses in the press room after winning the Art Ross Trophy at the 2015 NHL Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 24, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – MARCH 25: Denver Pioneers head coach Jim Montgomery reacts during the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Hockey Championship between the Denver Pioneers and the Michigan Tech Huskies on March 25th 2017, at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jack Adams Award: Jim Montgomery

This fall, Jim Montgomery will start his first season as an NHL coach when he takes over behind the bench for the Dallas Stars. It’s incredibly rare that coaches make the jump straight from college hockey to a head coaching job, but Jim Nill and Jim Lites have faith in their fellow Jim to find success.

The Stars have had a bit of a revolving door when it comes to coaches, with Montgomery being the third coach in three years. They’ve also had a hard time making the playoffs, with only two post-season appearances in the last decade. If Montgomery can come in and help this team get it together and have an outstanding season, he could get some Jack Adams attention.

The last coach to win in their first year as an NHL head coach was Patrick Roy, who won in 2013-14 when the Avalanche finished first in the Central. However, he’s no longer their coach. In fact, only the two most recent Jack Adams winners (John Tortorella and Gerard Gallant) are still with the same team.

If Montgomery can coach this team to a high level of success and earn a Jack Adams out of it, that’s fantastic, but he needs to be able to keep it going in future years. There’s not much use in one good season if the Stars bow out of the playoffs early and spend the next few seasons looking like the Avalanche did after that one good year.

On the flip side, if he only gets one good season out of the team and it ends with a Cup win, it’s certainly much easier for fans to swallow.

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