Season Preview: Does Avalanche coach Bednar have the right stuff?
theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
Though the club's 112-point outlying season achieved under his watch was approaching three seasons in the past, the Colorado Avalanche appeared committed to having Patrick Roy return for another year. But in a surprise announcement made weeks before training camp, Joe Sakic revealed that he and his staff made the decision to sign off on terminating the (other) franchise legend's contract.
It seemed like after several months of internal tug-o-war, and debating philosophy, Sakic and his team came to the realization that Roy wasn't going to budge, and they made the decision to cut the cord.
And of course, this didn't exactly provide a boost for the team's optics. But the decision, especially at the time, was critical. The Avs were quickly able to find a head coach in Jared Bednar, who before the start of camp, could begin overhauling the flawed system that's failed the growth process in Colorado.
Midseason worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins; maybe midsummer's the answer for the Avs?
What will Bednar bring?
We know Roy was unable to organize a system that worked in Colorado, and that it was time for a change. What we don't know is if Bednar has the answer.
The Calder Cup championship coach with the Lake Erie Monsters from last season said at his introductory conference call that he wants to employ an aggressive, uptempo style both offensively and defensively, and focus on pushing the puck up the ice quickly, and into the hands of their skilled position players.
This obviously comes across as a sound, even exciting brand, and one that would appease Avalanche fans. But Bednar's challenge will be educating a largely unchanged roster on how to efficiently retrieve the puck and initiate the process of exiting the zone. Colorado's spent the last four years under Roy buried in its own end, reducing the star talents on its roster to covering the points, and chasing pucks below their own goal line.
Nate's re-arrival
Nathan MacKinnon reminded us in his time with North America at the World Cup of Hockey that not only is he too a No. 1 pick, but like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, he should be a dominant, appointment-viewing player in the NHL.
His speed, skill, power, and doggedness that contrasted so brilliantly with Johnny Gaudreau's wizard-like skill set was simply stunning to watch in his time with the North America squad. And while it's on Bednar to manipulate schematically to put him in the best position to succeed, there's reason to believe that MacKinnon will break out this season regardless of who's at the helm.
MacKinnon is heading into his fourth professional season at full health, and ostensibly over the issues that affected his performance since his sublime 63-point rookie season.
Suspect that his $44.1-million extension quickly becomes a bargain.
Who else can make an impact?
Colorado didn't make a major splash via trade or the open market, but do have candidates that can step in and make a difference this season.
There's the obvious choice in Mikko Rantanen, the former 10th overall draft pick who won the American Hockey League most valuable player award after his demotion from the Avalanche. And there's also J.T. Compher, the Michigan Wolverines star who scrapped his final year of eligibility to jump into the professional ranks.
But the Avalanche also may have uncovered value with low-risk signings in free agency. Patrick Wiercioch never found a home on the Ottawa Senators' blue line, but Hockey Canada saw enough in him to invite him to a World Championship, and he has the puck-moving abilities Bednar could find useful on an $800,000 salary. And Joe Colborne has been a multi-function asset for the Calgary Flames over the last few years, most recently hitting a career-high 44 points.