Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar believes his current team is as strong as it has been since their Stanley Cup-winning roster in 2022. Following an aggressive trade deadline approach by general manager Chris MacFarland, Bednar now has what he considers the best group he’s worked with in years.
Sportsnet’s Luke Fox cited comments from Bednar, who both loved and was surprised by the moves MacFarland made this year. The Avalanche made a series of bold moves, trading superstar Mikko Rantanen while bringing in Martin Necas, Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Lindgren, Jack Drury, and a familiar face in Erik Johnson.
Combined with their midseason overhaul of the goaltending tandem, Colorado has retooled in a way that few teams ever have in one active season. The moves are already paying dividends.
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Since the trade deadline, the Avalanche have won seven of their last eight games. Their only loss came against the Minnesota Wild in a shootout. The new arrivals have fit in nicely and Bednar has been particularly impressed with the immediate impact of Nelson and Coyle, two proven NHL centers.
“I was surprised we got the guys we got,” he admitted. “C-Mac did a really nice job. I can’t say I wasn’t expecting that. But to get those two guys down the middle of the ice, those are significant moves.”
Bednar talked about how smooth the process has been of adding veterans, thanks to their experience playing in different systems and under various coaching styles. “When you meet with some of those veteran guys on system stuff… you can tell just from talking to them right away, they understand,” Bednar said. “They’re picking it up quick.”
If the coach thinks this roster is better than the one that won the Stanley Cup in 2022, the rest of the league might be in real trouble.
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