By Jordan Long
The Colorado Avalanche are on the brink of elimination after a 3-2 overtime loss in game 5 of the 2nd-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Vegas Golden Knights. The goals from Vegas all came from careless turnovers, including the game winner 50 seconds into overtime. It could be time for Colorado to let go of Head Coach Jared Bednar and hire a coach who knows what it takes to win a Stanley Cup.
Bednar has been the Avalanche Head Coach since the start of the 2016-2017 season. He replaced Patrick Roy who abruptly left the Colorado Avalanche on August 11, 2016, after 3 years. Bednar’s first season didn’t go well as Colorado stumbled to a 22-46-4 record for a total of 48 points, the worst in the NHL. The next season the Avalanche made the postseason going 43-30-9 for a total of 95 points. Colorado was not expected to even earn a playoff spot that year, but they lost to Nashville in 6 games.
Colorado, including this year, advanced to the 2nd-round 3 times in a row. In 2019, they dropped game 7 to the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Last year against Dallas, Colorado rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the bubble to force a winner’s take all game 7. They lost that game in overtime 5-4.
This season, Colorado earned the best record in the league with a 39-13-4 record. Colorado swept the St. Louis Blues in the 1st-round. It looked like Colorado was on a mission to make a deeper run. Against Vegas, Colorado won the first 2 games before losing the last 3. Colorado has a tough task ahead of them. They have been outscored on the road 8-3. Of course, anything is possible. Colorado could force a game 7 back in Colorado if they can win game 6.
The Avalanche problems aren’t all on Bednar. The Avalanche skaters have been turning the puck over which have led to scoring chances for the Knights. Colorado hasn’t possessed the puck in the Knights zone as much. Vegas skaters are able to take the puck away from Avalanche skaters. The big line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen haven’t done much in the past 3 games. Bednar even split that lineup, dropping Landeskog to the 2nd line, hoping to produce more scoring chances, but it didn’t work. That is on the players but Bednar hasn’t adjusted to the Knights’ pressure. One could argue that’s on the whole coaching staff but in the end, Bednar is the Head Coach. The wins and losses are on him.
If the Avalanche end up going down in game 6 on Thursday, it may be time to move on from Bednar. He has proven himself as a regular season coach because he has helped the Avalanche earn a playoff spot 4 years in a row. The problem is he may not be the coach to take them all the way, especially if they lose game 6.
Colorado could let Bednar go for his failure in the playoffs. The goal is to win a Cup. There are a few coaches out there who could help the Avalanche including Dan Bylsma, Mike Babcock, Gerard Gallant, and Mike Yeo.
Bylsma and Babcock are the top names. They have both won Stanley Cups. Bylsma coached the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabers. He was with Pittsburgh from 2008 to 2014. In those years, Pittsburgh went 252-117-32 and made the playoffs every year. Pittsburgh went to one Stanley Cup Final, 2009, when they won the Cup. The furthest they made it after that was the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013. Bylsma then went to Buffalo for two years but he was a disappointment going 68-73-23. Buffalo never made the playoffs.
Bylsma served as an assistant coach on the Detroit Red Wings for the past 3 years. He was fired after the horrible season with the Red Wings this year but could be looking to be an NHL Head Coach again. Bylsma knows the game of hockey and what it takes to win in this league. He wouldn’t be a bad choice.
Babcock would bring 17 years of NHL Head Coaching experience to Colorado. He coached the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, and Toronto Maple Leafs. In those years his record is 700 wins, 418 losses, 19 ties, and 164 overtime losses. His teams earned a playoff spot 14 times with 3 trips to the Stanley Cup Final. He won 1 Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. It is worth a phone call to see how interested he is in the job if Colorado lets go of Bednar.
Gerard Gallant and Mike Yeo have never won a Cup as a Head Coach. Gallant has 9 years of NHL Head Coaching knowledge. He coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, and the Vegas Golden Knights. His overall record is 270 wins, 216 losses, 4 ties, and 51 overtime losses. His teams went to the playoffs 3 times including advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in Vegas’ first year, 2018.
Gallant knows how to turn a team around in 1 season. He could get the Avalanche to buy into his system. That could equal better success in the playoffs.
Yeo has 8 years behind an NHL bench as Head Coach for the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild. In those seasons, his teams went 246-181-55. Unfortunately, the success in the regular season didn’t carry over to the postseason. He has never made it past the 2nd round. Yeo is a good coach, but Colorado would want somebody who can help them go further than the 2nd-round. He wouldn’t be the top pick.
These are just a few of the candidates to consider if Colorado decides to let go of Bednar since he has shown he can’t coach this team past the 2nd-round. The goal is to win a Cup. Of course, Colorado could win game 6 tomorrow and game 7 on Saturday. That would save Bednar his job or Colorado may keep Bednar since he has helped turn the franchise around, back into a title contender even if they go out in the 2nd-round again.
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