From the Q: “Jared Bednar is a terrific coach who has earned this opportunity through hard work and dedication and we appreciate all of his contributions to our organization”, said Columbus Blue Jackets Assistant General Manager and Monsters General Manager Bill Zito on Thursday. He coached the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays to a Kelly Cup victory in 2008-09 before jumping to the AHL coaching ranks as an assistant. The 44-year-old Bednar won the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup championship as coach of the Lake Erie Monsters last season. The Avalanche had to scramble to interview candidates a month before the start of training camp. I would like to thank the general managers who gave us permission to talk to key staff members at such a precarious time. “He also spent two seasons as the head coach of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen from 2010-12”.
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From 2012-2015, Bednar served as an assistant with the Columbus Blue Jackets AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons/Lake Erie Monsters.
Bednar’s task will be a unique one. With Roy having recently quit as the team’s head coach, Colorado was in need of leadership heading towards the 2016-17 National Hockey League season. Roy, the Hall of Fame netminder, abruptly quit as Avalanche head coach and vice president of hockey operations two weeks ago, sending the team on a late-summer quest to fill the vacancy.
But according to Gretz, “the cupboard isn’t entirely bare”.
In Colorado, the hope is that “perhaps a fresh approach that plays to the strengths of the core players can get even more out of them”, as Gretz wrote. Roy was 130-92-24 in three seasons with the Avs but missed the playoffs the past two seasons.
For that to happen, Bednar will have to hit the ground running.
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All in all, Bednar would seem to be an excellent fit for the Avalanche given his up-tempo coaching style with the Monsters last season and the skilled Avalanche lineup he’s inheriting.
