John Tortorella for the Jack Adams.

Look at this man. How can he NOT be nominated for coach of the year?

Last week, the NHL announced it's three finalists for the Jack Adams award which is awarded at the end of the season to the NHLs best coach. Now, you don't have to win the cup to win the Jack Adams but lets just hope by the time the NHL Awards come around, John Tortorella has that feather in his cap... Anyway, up against Tortorella are Ken Hitchcock of the St. Louis Blues and Paul MacLean of the Ottawa Senators. Many experts feel that Hitchchock is a favorite for digging St. Louis out of a hole and turning them into a premier hockey club this year, but here are my two reasons why John Torotrella is the dark horse in this Jack Adams race.

1. Last year, the Rangers struggled to get 90 or more points. The only reason why we made a post-season appearance was because by default: the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes (whom we were jockeying for position with) and that was our golden ticket in. Our appearance was brief, needless to say.

This year, the Rangers sat atop the NHL standings for the majority of the regular season, finishing FIRST in the east and second in the NHL. QUITE the turn around from last years dismal season, wouldn't you say? Oh and he did this all battling key injuries on the team all year long.

2. Nobody had more pressure on him than John Tortorella. In the off-season, the Rangers brought on board Brad Richards. Richards won the cup with Tortorella in Tampa and he's regarded as one of the best players in the leauge. Brad Richards waived his no trade clause to come to New York and be with Johnny T. That's a lot of pressure for both parties -- would this trade pay off? How would Richards fit in amongst the likes of Marian Gaborik, Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan?

Second, due to much needed renovations at the Garden, the Rangers started their season with a looooooong trip to Europe. As if being on the road that long in a different country isn't difficult enough for a hockey team, they returned to the United States only to go on a long tour of Western Canada. It took the team awhile to get into a rhythm but eventually they did and they never looked back...That deserves some series credit.

And to add even more pressure from the media, Tortorella lead his team to a Winter Classic victory over rivals Philadelphia Flyers with HBO Camera crews in tow the entire way. He kept his team together and composed through that entire circus.

Bottom line, Hitchcock and MacLean are both deserving nominees -- don't get me wrong. but I think you really have to take into account what John Tortorella has done for the Rangers and the city of New York. There's a reason his team will skate through walls for him, there's a reason his players feel so strongly about him even when the media wants to pin him as an abrupt, rude asshole. He's propelled the team from the very bottom to the top...who knows, maybe he's turned New York into a hockey town again...