Are Changes Coming in Colorado?
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet joined Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio Morning Skate on Wednesday morning. There, Friedman was asked what the fallout would be after the Colorado Avalanche fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in four games in the Western Conference Final. Will there be a coaching and general manager change?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: How Big Can the Colorado Avalanche Go?
Scott Laughling: “But hey, let me ask you this, though, because I just see the Mark Lazerus column just dropped at The Athletic, and the headline reads, after enduring one of the most shocking sweeps in recent NHL history, the Avalanche faced some uncomfortable questions this summer, starting with Jared Bednar. Now, speaking of which, I mean, if Bednar was let go today, he’d probably have a job by the end of the week if he wanted to, right.
That being said, do you expect fallout from the Avalanche, because you can’t forget they were 8-1 going into the Conference Finals. 8-1 in the playoffs, and they beat Los Angeles, and obviously a quality Minnesota team, and yet when you come up short, and you win the President’s Trophy, and you come up short of the desired goal Friedge, then obviously people are going to say, well, what has to change.”
Elliotte Friedman: “I do expect fallout, but number one, I just remember last year when they lost to Dallas in the first round, how mad Joe Sakic was, and if you go back to their press conference last year, it was clear he was incredibly disappointed. So, the number one thing I’m waiting to see is Sakic’s tone. I would think that Colorado last night, I liked that last night when Bednar was asked about the injuries, he didn’t go there, he just said, “Look, Joe Sakic and Chris MacFarland will meet over the next couple days to do it.
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I thought that was the right approach, and I think Colorado needs to take a breath before they do anything. They’re going to be disappointed, and they’re going to be upset. I actually think before I get to Bednar, Scotty, I actually think the bigger question might be Chris MacFarland.
He does a lot of the heavy lifting there. Joe Sakic is the boss, but Chris MacFarland is just as critical in terms of the amount of work he does, and I don’t think there’s a done deal with Nashville or anything like that, because he’s under contract to them, I believe, for at least another year.
Well, definitely at least another year, and I think it is another year, and Colorado has the control there. I think Nashville is going to call and ask for permission to talk to him. And I just remember the last time Joe Sakic was really faced with losing him, which was when the Anaheim search, when they hired Pat Verbeek.
Sakic sat down with him, then denied permission, then promoted him. Sakic knows how important MacFarland is, and I just think that I would be surprised if they let him walk, and so that’s number one.
And then we get to Bednar, and I agree with your premise Scott. I think if Bednar was to be let go, then he would be unemployed for as long as he wanted to be. I compared a little bit; there are two things here. I compared a little bit to Mike Sullivan at Pittsburgh, a great coach; you risk not getting someone as good as he is. You really risk it. The thing I just wonder is, does everybody think for some reason it’s just time. That happens occasionally. Is it time?
The Chris MacFarland – Nashville Predators Speculation
And, secondly, the other thing here, it’s a little bit out of everybody’s control, but there’s the whole David Carle situation. We know that he’s doing a little bit of a dance with the Maple Leafs. I believe the Kings have reached out to him, too.
I think people have wondered if his preferred destination would be Colorado, and I don’t think that David Carle is doing anything wrong here. I want to stress that, but if the Avalanche ever believe that he was the right guy for them at some point in the future, I think everybody is just wondering if circumstances conspire to make that time now.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The Colorado Avalanche have an aging team. While Nathan MacKinnon (30) and Cale Makar (28) are still in their primes, Brock Nelson (34), Josh Manson (34), Nazem Kadri (35), and Gabriel Landeskog (33), who was the Avalanche’s best player in the Conference Final, are getting up there in age.
While their window is still open, the group is getting older. Still question marks between the pipes. If you have two goalies, do you have any goalies? Everyone wants to fire Jared Bednar, but is it fair to a team when two of the best players are hurt, and not 100 percent, and the rest of the supporting cast isn’t showing up?
NHL News: Colorado Avalanche Extend Martin Necas
People get on the Edmonton Oilers management, but Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic traded away Mikko Rantanen, Bowen Byram, Samuel Girard, and let Darcy Kuemper walk in free agency. Now Martin Necas‘s new extension kicks in this summer. There are many questions surrounding Colorado.
However, the worst decisions are made on emotion. Colorado will take time to process everything before making any decisions.
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