By Jordan Long
The Colorado Avalanche are continuing their coaching search. The Denverpost.com is reporting that they will not consider current Denver University Head Coach Jim Montgomery or Head Coach of Valor Christian High School, George Gwozdecky. Is this a mistake?
Jim Montgomery has only been a head coach at the college level. He is entering his fourth year. The University of Denver has gone an amazing 59-40-14 under Montgomery. The Pioneers have received an NCAA Hockey Tournament berth every year. This past season, they went to the Frozen Four only to lose in the National Semifinal to eventual champs University of North Dakota.
Montgomery’s short resume is impressive. The Avalanche are passing on him only because he doesn’t have NHL coaching experience. Montgomery has familiarity with the NHL game as a player. He appeared in 122 games with five teams. Those are the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadians, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, and the Dallas Stars.
Montgomery is a respectable young coach at the NCAA level. I do think that even if Montgomery received a call from the Avalanche, he would turn it down. The Pioneer job is decent. He knows that they will be a national power-house this up-coming season and might even win the Frozen Four. The Avalanche may not even make the playoffs.
I am surprised that the Avalanche aren’t going to make a phone call to George Gwozdecky who is the Head Coach of Valor Christian High School. He coached the Pioneers for 19 seasons with an outstanding record of 443-267-64. DU went to 12 NCAA Hockey tournaments and took home back to back NCAA Frozen Four Championships in 2004 and 2005. Besides coaching for the Pioneers, Gwozdecky has been a part of the NHL. He served as the Assistant Coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2013 to 2015.
Gwozdecky understands the NHL game. The Avalanche should give him a call. He excelled at the college level. The next step is to be a coach in the NHL. Gwozdecky would get the young Avalanche core to buy into his coaching style.
The only problem with Gwozdecky is he hasn’t been an NHL head coach. That would not fit the bill of what General Manager of the Avalanche, Joe Sakic, is looking for. He wants somebody with NHL head coaching experience. Hopefully Sakic finds the right man for the job.
What do you think of the Colorado Avalanche not giving a call to George Gwozdecky and Jim Montgomery?
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