The frustration coming out of Buffalo right now is completely understandable. Simply put, Lindy Ruff missing out on the 2026 Jack Adams Trophy to Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper has turned into one of the most painful “what could’ve been” moments in recent NHL award history.
When the voting breakdown was revealed, it showed just how close the race really was, and the fact that some voters didn’t even submit ballots only added more fuel to the fire for Sabres fans and hockey analysts.
NHL World Questions Voting After Lindy Ruff Misses Top Coaching Honor
The race was decided by just three voting points under the 5-3-1 system. Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning finished with 226 points, while Ruff finished right behind him with 223.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman later revealed that 40 members of the Broadcasters’ Association did not vote at all, and many believe that if those ballots had been submitted, the result could have gone the other way entirely.
Adding more context, Jon Cooper and the Tampa Bay Lightning were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Canadiens.
On the other hand, Ruff completely transformed a Buffalo team that had been stuck in a league-record 14-year playoff drought. In early December, the Sabres were dead last in the Eastern Conference, but Ruff led a stunning turnaround.
From there, Buffalo went on a 39-9-5 run to finish the season, including a 10-game winning streak in December and another 8-game streak in February.
The reaction across the hockey world to Ruff’s loss was immediate.
NHL analyst Michael Russo criticized the voting process, saying, “That 40 broadcasters didn’t return ballots for the Jack Adams, the NHL needs to take that honor away from the broadcasters’ association. That’s absolutely egregious when only 99 voted.”
Locked On Sabres host Sneaky Joe also questioned the process, saying there is growing evidence that broadcasters did not take the Jack Adams voting seriously this season. “Give the vote to someone else,” he added.
The Built in Buffalo channel argued that the missing ballots likely played a major role in Ruff losing the award. “40 of the broadcast voters DID NOT turn their ballots in for the Jack Adams award… This likely resulted in Lindy Ruff’s loss. Disgraceful,” the channel said.
Analyst Matthew Bové was equally frustrated. He said Ruff not winning Coach of the Year made no sense and questioned how the voting process produced that result. “As a broadcaster, I’m insulted,” Bové said.
No one is arguing that Cooper is not an outstanding coach. He is widely viewed as a future Hall of Famer and has built an impressive resume. However, many critics believe the Jack Adams Award should recognize the coach who did the best job during that specific season.
By that standard, Ruff’s case was hard to ignore. He took a last-place team carrying 14 years of frustration and turned it into a 109-point contender, which is exactly the kind of turnaround many believe the Coach of the Year award should recognize.
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In the end, Ruff missed out on the trophy by the smallest of margins, but his impact in Buffalo went far beyond an award.
