Jack Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Adams |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1959 | |||
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| Born | June 14, 1894 Fort William, Ontario, Canada |
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| Died | May 1, 1968 (aged 73) Detroit, Michigan, United States |
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| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Toronto Arenas Vancouver Millionaires Toronto St. Patricks Ottawa Senators |
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| Playing career | 1917–1927 | ||
John James Adams (born June 14, 1894 – died May 1, 1968) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. Jack Adams played for teams like the Toronto Arenas, Vancouver Millionaires, Toronto St. Patricks, and Ottawa Senators from 1917 to 1927.
He won the Stanley Cup twice as a player. First, with Toronto in 1918, and then with Ottawa in 1927. Later, he was honored by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. After he stopped playing, Adams worked for the Detroit Red Wings for 36 years. He was their head coach and general manager. He is the only person to have won the Stanley Cup as a player, a coach, and a general manager.
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Playing Hockey: Jack Adams' Early Career
Jack Adams was born in Fort William, Ontario. He started his hockey journey with local teams in 1914. He played for the Fort William Maple Leafs and the Calumet Miners. In 1916, he joined the Peterborough 247th Battalion. The next season, he played for the Sarnia Sailors. His younger brother, Bill Adams, also became a professional hockey player.
Adams became a professional player in 1917. He joined the Toronto Arenas in the NHL. He quickly became known as a tough and physical player. Even though he was part of the team, he did not play in the 1918 Stanley Cup Finals. The Toronto Arenas won the trophy that year.
In March 1918, Adams joined the Canadian military. This was during the First World War. He was sent to the United Kingdom in April. He was released from duty in November when the war ended. Soon after, he returned to Canada.
Success with the Vancouver Millionaires
In December 1919, Adams moved west. He joined the Vancouver Millionaires with his brother Bill. He became a very successful player there. In the 1921–22 season, he led the league in scoring. He played as a center with Alf Skinner and Smokey Harris.
Newspapers at the time praised his playing style. They said he had strong hands. He could hold onto the puck even when many opponents tried to take it. He was also good at breaking through the other team's defense. He played in two Stanley Cup series for Vancouver. In the 1922 series, he was a star player. He scored 6 goals in 5 games.
Returning East and Final Cup Win
After the 1921–22 season, Adams moved back east. He rejoined the Toronto Arenas, which were now called the Toronto St. Patricks. He played four seasons there. He was often on a line with right-winger Babe Dye. Adams was the team's top scorer in the 1925–26 season.
The next season, he joined the Ottawa Senators. He finished his playing career with another Stanley Cup championship. This was his second Stanley Cup win as a player. He scored 83 goals and 32 assists in 173 NHL games. In 1959, Jack Adams was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player.
Coaching and Managing: Building a Dynasty
Soon after he stopped playing, Jack Adams became a coach. He also became the general manager of the Detroit Cougars. The NHL president, Frank Calder, suggested him for the job.
At first, the team had a hard time. They only made the playoffs twice in his first five years. The team changed its name to the Detroit Falcons in 1930. But this did not make the team play better. Things changed in 1932. A businessman named James E. Norris bought the team. He renamed them the Detroit Red Wings. Norris gave the Red Wings the money they needed to become a top NHL team.
Adams led the team to three Stanley Cups as coach. He stepped down as coach in 1947. He wanted to focus only on being the general manager. He had 413 wins as a coach. He was the winningest coach in Red Wings history for a long time. Mike Babcock passed his record in 2014.
"Trader Jack" and the Red Wings' Success
By 1947, Adams had built a strong system for finding new players. This system helped bring in future stars. These players included Alex Delvecchio, Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay, Red Kelly, Sid Abel, and especially Gordie Howe. This group of players helped the Red Wings finish first in the regular season for seven years in a row. This was from 1948 to 1955. They also won four more Stanley Cups during this time. This made Adams the only person to win the Stanley Cup as a player, coach, and general manager.
Adams was known for making big trades. He wanted to keep his teams sharp and prevent them from becoming too comfortable. This way of thinking earned him the nickname "Trader Jack." After James E. Norris died in 1952, his daughter Marguerite took over. She and Adams did not always agree.
Later, Marguerite's younger brother, Bruce Norris, took control of the team in 1955. Bruce trusted Adams completely. The trading continued. Many people thought the Red Wings would keep winning for many years. But just days after Bruce took over, Adams traded away eight players from the 1955 championship team. Years later, Gordie Howe said these trades were hard to understand. He believed they allowed the Montreal Canadiens to win many Stanley Cups. Even though the Red Wings stayed competitive, Howe felt the trades took away their power to win more championships.
Adams made some controversial decisions, including trading away key players. These choices caused some players to leave the team. This eventually led to Adams being fired in 1963. His 36 years as general manager is the longest in NHL history. He worked for the Red Wings for 31 of those years without a formal contract. His departure from the Red Wings ended his 46 years in major-league hockey.
In 1942, Adams had a strong reaction during a game. He believed the referees were unfair. This led to an incident where he was suspended. He was the first coach to be suspended in a Stanley Cup Final.
In 1963, Adams became the first president of the Central Hockey League. He held this job until he passed away in 1968.
Awards and Achievements
- Won the Stanley Cup as a player with the Toronto Arenas in 1918.
- Won the Stanley Cup as a player with the Ottawa Senators in 1927.
- Won the Stanley Cup as General Manager and Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings in 1936, 1937, and 1943.
- Won the Stanley Cup as General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings in 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955.
- The Jack Adams Award was named in his honor in 1974. It is given each year to the best coach in the National Hockey League.
- He was the first person to receive the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1966.
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959.
- Named First All-Star Team Coach in 1937 and 1943.
- Named Second All-Star Team Coach in 1945.
See also
- List of Detroit Red Wings award winners
- List of Detroit Red Wings seasons
