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Chicago Blackhawks head coach receives the national recognition he deserves

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Jack Sutherland
November 27, 2025 (5:37 PM)

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If the vote were held today, former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville would be the frontrunner for the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL's best coach.

Alongside Quenneville in the third overall ranking is current Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill.

If the vote were held today, the frontrunner to earn the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL's best head coach would be former Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.

Quenneville's return in Chicago wasn't as pleasing as he thought, as we expected.

He's taken over an Anaheim Ducks team that has finished no better than sixth place in their division the last several years, and right now, he has them in first place in the division.

Blackhawks fans know all about Quenneville and what he did for their franchise, and now he's doing it with the Ducks.

Per GM Pat Verbeek, the Ducks believe in Quenneville's system.

"The guys were very eager to do well and wanting to win," Anaheim's Pat Verbeek said before the GM meetings in Toronto from Nov. 14-16, "and I think we've preached puck possession, and the guys have bought into that. We've scored goals, and now they've bought into it.

«The hardest thing for a team is to buy in and to believe, and I think our team has kind of done that."

Joel Quenneville Coached The Blackhawks To Three Stanley Cups

The fortunes of the Blackhawks turned for the better when Quenneville was hired as head coach in 2008, replacing Denis Savard.

During his tenure, which can be judged as the best in Blackhawks history, they won the Stanley Cup three times and also made another pair of appearances in the Western Conference Final.

Quenneville, who had also coached the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues, has also been behind the bench of the Florida Panthers.

Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider

This one specific United Center food option at Blackhawks game is garnering food gurus' attention

USA Hockey releases jaw-dropping new uniforms for 2026 Olympics in Italy

A major development in Quinn Hughes being traded to the Blackhawks: Insider names top frontrunning teams

POLL
NOVEMBRE 27 \| 134 ANSWERS Chicago Blackhawks head coach receives the national recognition he deserves Should the Blackhawks have tried to bring back Joel Quenneville?
Yes	50	37.3 %
No	84	62.7 %
List of polls

Chicago Blackhawks head coach receives the national recognition he deserves

If the vote were held today, former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville would be the frontrunner for the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL's best coach.

Joel Quenneville Coached The Blackhawks To Three Stanley Cups

Should the Blackhawks have tried to bring back Joel Quenneville?