Here are the nominees for the Jack Adams Award, awarded annually to the coach who contributed the most to his team's success:

Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings

This year, Babcock posted a 54-21-7 record, good for tops in the league.  It was his third consecutive 50-win season.  The Wings set a record for most points in the first half of the season with 63 points in 41 games.  They surpassed 100 points for the eighth straight year, won their division for the seventh straight year, and qualified for the playoffs for the 17th consecutive year.

Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals

Boudreau came in a little late in the season after coaching over 1,000 minor league games in his career.  He immediately turned Washington's season around, leading them to a 37-17-7 mark in the time he was there, and leading them to a Southeastern division title in the last game of the season.

Guy Carbonneau, Montreal Canadiens

This was Carbonneau's second season coaching the Canadiens, and he posted a 47-25-10 record for 104 points, top in the Eastern Conference.  It was Montreal's first 100-point and 45-win season in 15 years.  Montreal had the best power plays in the league, and scored more goals than any team.  They were expected to miss the playoffs and perhaps finish last in the league, yet they finished first.

As much as I think Babcock is a great coach, I think his team was much too talented to say that he contributed most to his team's success.  Boudreau did extremely well, as did Carbonneau.  The only thing is—and this is 100 percent a personal opinion—I do not think that someone is able to win this award when they did not coach an entire season. 

I think Boudreau is an unbelievable coach, and he showed it this year.  But I do not think that this is his year.  Win the division again next year, and then he will be the front runner for this award. 

Carbonneau was not given much, and he squeezed all the talent he could out of everyone, and he put Alex Kovalev and Saku Koivu back on track.  Therefore, I award the 2008 Jack Adams Award to Guy Carbonneau of the Montreal Canadiens.