The Colorado Avalanche have hired Jared Bednar as a replacement for former coach Patrick Roy.
On Thursday, the Colorado Avalanche found their replacement for Patrick Roy. With Roy having recently quit as the team’s head coach, Colorado was in need of leadership heading towards the 2016-17 NHL season. They went with a coach who has shown some winning ways, on the minor league level.
According to ESPN.com, the team has hired Jared Bednar a head coach from the American Hockey League’s Lake Erie Monsters, a minor-league affiliate for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bednar coached the team to a 43-22-11 record and the AHL championship last season.
In addition to the AHL championship, Bednar has won the East Coast Hockey League championship in 2009 with the South Carolina Stingrays. Now he’ll try his hand at helping to guide the Avalanche back to the playoffs. Colorado made the postseason in 2014 but surprisingly was woeful last year. Colorado finished at 39-31-12, falling behind several other teams in the race.
Two weeks ago, Roy quit his role as the team’s head coach and vice president of operations. Roy cited issues between himself and management over what his roles with the team were.
In a statement via NHL.com, Bednar showed enthusiasm towards his new position with the Avalanche saying, “This is a great sports market with a passionate fan base and I can’t wait to get to work. I would also like to thank the Columbus Blue Jackets organization for the opportunity they gave me.”
Bednar apparently gained the job over two other finalists for the position. Washington Capitals assistant coach Lane Lambert was one while Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Kevin Dineen was the other. Lambert has no experience as an NHL head coach, while Dineen guided the Florida Panthers into the playoffs in 2012.
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For the upcoming season, they Avalanche have odds of 45-to-1 to win the Stanley Cup. That puts them below the middle of the pack in the league.