The Colorado Avalanche are starting to move on without Patrick Roy.
Roy exited the Avalanche organization earlier this month over not having enough control over the roster. The move left Colorado’s GM Joe Sakic scrambling for a late offseason coaching hire. Sakic appears to have found some candidates.
According to Mike Chambers and Terry Frei of the Denver Post, the Avalanche are looking at New York Rangers associate head coach Scott Arniel, Utica Comets head coach Travis Green, Washington Capitals assistant Lane Lambert and Lake Erie Monsters bench boss Jared Bednar.
The candidates aren’t veteran head coaches and have relatively little experience in the NHL.
Arniel has the biggest NHL resume, as he coached the Blue Jackets for a season and a half between 2010-12, compiling 45 wins in 123 games. Green, who last played in the NHL, has coached at the WHL and AHL level. He’s been behind Utica’s bench for the last three seasons, where he led the club to three consecutive playoff appearances. Lambert has been an NHL assistant for five seasons (two with the Capitals) and coached Nashville’s AHL affiliate from 2007-2011. Finally there is Bednar, who led the Monsters to a Calder Cup championship this season.
As Chamber and Frei mention, it’s not a shortlist of candidates so other coaches will be interviewed. Colorado has interest in all these up-and-comers. Sakic is likely looking for a stark contrast after dealing with Roy’s arrogant routine. Adding a relative newbie behind the bench means a hire will come with less ego. All of the candidates have done their time in the minors and are ready to make the next step into the NHL.
Colorado isn’t close to hiring a new head coach but are ready to start the search. Their list of candidates is encouraging and hopefully, they hire someone who can right the ship Roy derailed before he left.
