Thread: THE official Colorado Avalanche/NHL thread!!!

I really wanted this to work out. For nothing more than nostalgia reasons.

from article:

In an interview with The Denver Post on April 7, shortly before the Avalanche met the Stars in the next-to-last game of the 2015-16 season, Roy made it clear he believed aggressive moves were necessary in the offseason. He noted the Avalanche’s lack of success in landing talent in recent drafts beyond the first round.

“It’s the reason why I have a job,” he said of those draft problems. “But right now it’s also the reason why we have to go for free agency. July 1 is a tough day for any teams. It’s a market for the players and we realize it’s hard to build your team on July 1.”

From there, he mentioned that young defenseman Chris Bigras and Nikita Zadorov had played well in spots and noted that 2015 first-round pick Mikko Rantanen “is going to come in and help.” He also mentioned several other prospects in the pipeline. “But is the lack of draft picks, second, third round, fourth round affecting this franchise? Yes.”

Without spelling it out, Roy’s implication was that Colorado needed to try to land a big, physical defenseman in free agency. With Sakic saying in advance the Avalanche likely wouldn’t sign any major unrestricted free agents then Colorado largely standing pat, while making aggressive moves to sign Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie to contract extensions, the Avs ended up within about $1 million of the $73 million salary cap for next season.

full article - http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/11...alanche-coach/

I was really shocked and bummed. I'll miss him but was really glad I got to see him again.

The timing bothers me. He knew pre-draft that he wasn't getting a say. Leaving it wait like that did the players and franchise, therefore the fans, wrong IMO.

Best thing to happen for the Avs.

- Roy was never accountable for himself as a coach. Time and time again he demanded "more" out of the core and pressed them to start showing up. He never once said he needed to coach better.
- Johnson mentioned 90% of the players loved playing for Roy, and he also said if he only played better Roy would still be here. They had 2 years to "play better" and never did. That says something.
- He stated how unhappy he was with the current roster. The roster he had full control building the last 3 years. If he built the roster a little better, maybe O'Reily and Stastny would still be here.

This is similar to when Mike Shanahan started failing and Bowlen wanted to take control from him defensively and Shanahan felt he should have control. You can respect Shanahan wnting control of his defense, but the bottom line is he sucked at it.

Finally, I wanted this to work with Roy too. But it wasn't working. Avalanche was among the worst in the league in Corsii for the 3 years he was here. Even when they won the division. Coaches figured out real quick how to play his style. His style was garbage. Not valuing the puck, sitting back defensively, expecting All-World goaltending night in and night out, blocking shots and trying to cover all points defensively and wait for a counter attack. Just garbage. And you can't teach the concept of not valuing puck possession ever, and then get mad at the players when they turn the puck over. That would be similar to never working on football protection in practice, and then getting mad when they fumble in games. Just f'n stupid.

Kevin Dineen and Bob Boughner — two possible finalists to become the Avalanche’s next head coach — were cut from the same cloth in how they played the game. Both were tenacious NHL players, always willing to support their teammates and the crest on their sweater. Given their talent level, they probably made more out of their careers than they should have, combining to play 29 years in the NHL

Dineen (19 years) was a feisty 190-pound forward from Quebec and the University of Denver. Boughner (10 years) was an average-sized defenseman (6-foot, 205 pounds) from Windsor, Ontario, and major-junior’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.

Dineen joined DU at age 17 in 1981. He went on to lead the Pioneers in penalty minutes with 105 — 46 more than the next guy. As a sophomore, he was team captain and amassed 108 penalty minutes while scoring 16 goals, tied for third on the team. Dineen left DU after his sophomore year to play for the Canadian national team, and he joined Hartford the year after that and became teammates with Joel Quenneville, whom he has coached under with the Chicago Blackhawks for the past two seasons.

rest - http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/23...-bob-boughner/

from same article:

The Avalanche’s coaching search might conclude as early as Wednesday. The other known candidates are reigning American Hockey League champion coach Jared Bednar of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ organization, fellow AHL head coach Travis Green of the Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals assistant coach Lane Lambert and Scott Arniel, associate head coach of the New York Rangers.

http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/23...-bob-boughner/

I really hope they don't hire Kevin Dineen.

Originally Posted by weazel

I really hope they don't hire Kevin Dineen.

He would be my 3rd least favorite. They better not hire Boughner and I would be slightly less disappointed if they went with Bednar.

I dont want them to hire Dineen because I don't want Chicago to lose him.

The Avalanche Thursday announced the hiring of Cleveland Monsters head coach Jared Bednar as Patrick Roy’s successor behind the Colorado bench.

The hiring comes two weeks to the day after Roy’s surprise resignation as head coach and vice president of hockey operations.

Bednar, 44, recently completed his second season as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League affiliate — the Springfield Falcons in 2014-15 and then the Monsters, then known as the Lake Erie Monsters, in 2015-16. The Falcons went 38-28-18 under Bednar, and the Monsters were 43-32-11 in the regular season and won the AHL’s Calder Cup last spring.

One of Bednar’s assistants with the Monsters, former Avalanche defenseman Nolan Pratt, was added to the Colorado coaching staff this summer, before Roy’s resignation. Avalanche assistant general manager Chris MacFarland, who had the same job at Columbus until a year ago, has worked closely with Bednar, who is from Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

rest - http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/25...he-head-coach/

Jared Bednar is a good pick, considering the timing/options.

So, Imma try this hockey thing again. And Pittsburgh scored twice in 36 seconds. Are they going to suck this year?

That's better.

Good start for the Avs during a brutal first 5 games. Those 5 include the first place team in the Western Conference, the Third and Sixth place teams in the Atlantic Conference, the presidents trophy winner, and the defending Stanley cup champions.

And if we win on Saturday, that'll be 4-1 for this stretch.

Not ******* bad.