Jack Adams

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Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Height Weight	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 175 lb (80 kg)
Pro Clubs	Toronto Arenas Vancouver Millionaires Toronto St. Pats Ottawa Senators
Nationality	Canada
Born	June 14, 1895, Fort William, Ontario
Pro Career	1917 – 1927
Hall of Fame	1959

John James "Jack" Adams (June 14, 1895 – May 1, 1968) was a Canadian professional hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League who played for the Toronto Arenas, Toronto St. Pats and Ottawa Senators. However, he is best known for his 36-year association with the Detroit Red Wings as coach or general manager.

Contents 1 Playing career 2 Coaching and managing career 3 Awards & achievements 4 External link

[edit] Playing career

Born in Fort William, Ontario, Adams began his career with the Fort William Maple Leafs in 1914 of the NMHL, and played for the Calumet Miners a year later. In 1916, he joined the intermediate Peterborough 247th Battalion of the Ontario Hockey Association and the next season moved up to the senior Sarnia Sailors. Adams turned pro in 1917 upon joining the Toronto Arenas of the NHL, earning the reputation as a physical, bruising player. He helped the Arenas win the Stanley Cup in 1918. In December 1919, he was lured west to join the PCHA's Vancouver Millionaires where he flourished as a player, leading the league in scoring in 1921-22. Coming off that season, he returned east to join the Toronto St. Pats and played four seasons in Toronto on a line with Babe Dye. Adams was the team's leading scorer in 1925-26. The next season, he joined the Ottawa Senators, finishing his playing career with a second Stanley Cup championship. His NHL stats included 82 goals, 29 assists in 173 games played. He was also able to see the future but not anymore.

[edit] Coaching and managing career

Although Adams was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959 as a player, he is best known as a coach and general manager. Soon after his retirement, Adams became head coach and general manager of the second-year Detroit Cougars at the suggestion of NHL president Frank Calder.

At first, the team struggled under his leadership, making the playoffs only two times in his first five years at the helm. A name change to the Detroit Falcons in 1930 didn't improve the team's performance. Detroit's fortunes changed in 1932, when Chicago grain merchant James E. Norris bought the Falcons and renamed them the Detroit Red Wings. Norris gave the Red Wings the financing they needed to become an NHL power. Adams led the team to three Stanley Cups before stepping down in 1947 to concentrate on his duties as general manager. During his career, Adams tallied 413 wins, 390 losses and 161 ties, including a 52-52-1 coaching record in the playoffs. Most of those wins came without a contract, as Adams coached for 15 years on probation. He is still the winningest coach in Red Wings history.

By 1947, Adams had built an farm system which bred, among others, Alex Delvecchio, Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay, Red Kelly, Sid Abel, and most notably Gordie Howe. It was this core group of players which led the Red Wings to seven straight regular season first-place finishes from 1948 to 1955, along with four more Cups—making Adams the only man to have his name on the Stanley Cup as a player, coach and general manager.

Adams was known for being wary of letting his teams get complacent, and was not shy about orchestrating blockbuster trades to keep them on their toes—a philosophy which won him the nickname "Trader Jack." His implulse was slightly restrained after Norris died in 1952 and was succeeded by his daughter, Margurite. She and Adams had never gotten along very well. However, Margurite was forced to turn over control of the team to her younger brother, Bruce Norris, in 1955 after losing an intrafamily struggle. Bruce voiced full confidence in Adams, and the trading resumed anew. During their seven-season run in first place, many thought the Red Wings would rule the league for years to come. A series of questionable trades by Adams, however, resulted in most of the core of this team leaving town and eventually led to Adams being fired in 1963. His 36-year tenure as general manager—31 of those years without a contract—is the longest in NHL history.

In 1963, Adams became founding president of the Central Hockey League, a post he held until his death at his desk in 1968.

[edit] Awards & achievements

• Named in his honour, the Jack Adams Award was introduced in 1974 and is awarded annually to the most outstanding coach in the NHL.
• Lester Patrick Trophy in 1966.
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959.
• The NHL's Adams Division was named in his honor.
• First All-Star Team Coach in 1937 & 1943.
• Second All-Star Team Coach in 1945.

Detroit Red Wings Head Coaches
Duncan • Adams • Ivan • Skinner • Abel • Gadsby • Harkness • Barkley • J. Wilson • Garvin • Delvecchio • L. Wilson • Kromm • Lindsay • Maxner • Dea • Polano • Neale • Park • Demers • Murray • Bowman • Lewis • Babcock

Preceded by Art Duncan

Head Coaches of the Detroit Red Wings 1927-1947

Succeeded by Tommy Ivan

[edit] External link

• Hockey Hall of Fame - Jack Adams