Toronto, ON -- (Sports Network) - Claude Julien of the Boston Bruins, Todd McLellan of the San Jose Sharks and Andy Murray of the St. Louis Blues were named as the three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, which is awarded annually to the top head coach in the NHL.

Julien led the Bruins to a 22-point improvement from 2007-08 to 2008-09, as Boston finished with an Eastern Conference-best 116 points. If he were to win, Julien would join Don Cherry (1976) and Pat Burns (1998) as the only Bruins coaches to win the award.

McLellan guided the Sharks to their first Presidents' Trophy in his first year at the helm, as San Jose finished with a 53-18-11 record for 117 points. He would become the first Sharks coach ever to win the Adams Award.

Murray led the Blues to a surprising playoff berth this season after earning the sixth seed in the Western Conference. St. Louis was the best team in the second half of the season with a 25-9-7 record to earn a trip to the postseason for the first time in four seasons.

The winner will be announced during the NHL's season-ending awards ceremony on June 18 in Las Vegas.