Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will return to the team next year as the Avs decided not to let him go following the playoffs.
The Avalanche were the best team in the regular season this year, winning the Presidents’ Trophy after racking up 121 regular-season points. They entered the playoffs as the Stanley Cup favorite, and then beat the Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild in the first two rounds.
But they ran into the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals and were shockingly swept out of the postseason, which put Bednar’s job at risk.
After thinking it over, however, the organization decided they would keep him around.
Jared Bednar Will Return to Colorado
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Bednar will return to the Avs’ bench next season, as the team has decided they will bring him back for an 11th season with the club.
“Also, about Colorado: there is word Jared Bednar is staying as the Avalancheâs coach,” Friedman wrote on X.
The Avs made a big announcement on Tuesday, as team president and franchise icon Joe Sakic, who is the team’s president, will also become the team’s general manager again after former GM Chris MacFarland left to go to the Nashville Predators and become their president and GM.
“In Colorado, President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic will have the GM role returned to his portfolioâ¦as he did before promoting MacFarland in 2022,” Friedman added.
Between MacFarland leaving the franchise, Sakic taking back the GM role, and Bednar staying for at least another season, there was a ton of news out of Colorado today concerning the Avalanche, who have a lot of work to do this offseason to bounce back after a bad loss to the Golden Knights.
What Will Colorado Do This Offseason?
Now that the Avs know that Bednar will be back and that MacFarland will be gone, Sakic can get to work on how to improve this team and make sure they don’t get swept in the WCF next season.
On paper, the Avs have one of the most stacked rosters in the NHL, which is why they won the Presidents’ Trophy. But they weren’t able to beat Vegas, so things are going to have to change.
The problem is that they are essentially capped out, so they will have to make some really tough decisions next season.
Superstars such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are obviously safe, but the team may be forced to shop Martin Necas and his big contract. After putting up 100 points this season for Colorado, Necas should have huge trade value, but dealing him would also alleviate any cap issues the Avalanche might have.
There are other depth players that were crucial to the Avs’ success this season that could be moved out as the team will be forced to make some tough decisions. Unfortunately for Colorado, that’s the reality of the salary cap in the NHL. But with Sakic back at the GM’s helm, the team is in good hands, as Sakic is a proven winner who built the Avs into a Stanley Cup champion four years ago.
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