Bruce Cassidy, Boston Bruins

Under Cassidy, the Bruins (44-14-12 in 70 GP) topped the NHL in both points (100) and points percentage (.714) to claim the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's best club during the regular season. Boston posted a League-best 44 wins, including 22 victories as both hosts (22-4-9) and visitors (22-10-3). The Bruins, who reached the 40-win milestone for the seventh consecutive season, also posted an NHL-best +53 goal differential while ranking in the top three in both power play (2nd; 25.2%) and penalty kill (3rd; 84.3%) efficiency. Cassidy is a Jack Adams finalist for the second time in the past three seasons, finishing as runner-up to Vegas' Gerard Gallant in 2017-18. He is vying to become the fourth Bruins coach to capture Jack Adams honors, following Don Cherry (1975-76), Pat Burns (1997-98) and Claude Julien (2008-09).

John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets

Tortorella guided the Blue Jackets to a .579 points percentage at the time of the pause (33-22-15), landing in the Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Qualifiers as the No. 9-ranked team. The Blue Jackets recorded points in 33 of their final 41 games after Dec. 8 (22-8-11), highlighted by a pair of double-digit point streaks in that span: 12 games (8-0-4 from Dec. 9 to Jan. 2) and 10 games (9-0-1 from Jan. 11 to Feb. 7). Columbus committed the fewest minor penalties in the NHL (180 in 70 GP), tied for second in the League in shutouts (seven) and had an NHL-high seven skaters score their first career regular-season goal. Tortorella has garnered a Jack Adams finalist berth for the fifth time; he is a two-time winner of the award (2003-04 with Tampa Bay, 2016-17 with Columbus) and has finished second twice (2002-03 with Tampa Bay, 2011-12 with NY Rangers).

Alain Vigneault, Philadelphia Flyers

In his first season behind the Philadelphia bench, Vigneault led the Flyers to a .645 points percentage (41-21-7) at the pause, their best since a .646 mark in 2010-11 and third-best in 30 years. The Flyers vaulted into the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and a spot in the seeding Round Robin of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers with a nine-game winning streak from Feb. 18 to March 7, eight of which were decided in regulation. Vigneault is a Jack Adams finalist for the fifth time, with his fourth club. He captured the award in 2006-07 with Vancouver and finished second in 1999-2000 with Montreal, 2010-11 with Vancouver and 2014-15 with NY Rangers. He is vying to become the fifth Flyers coach to capture Jack Adams honors, following Fred Shero (1973-74), Pat Quinn (1979-80), Mike Keenan (1984-85) and Bill Barber (2000-01).