Two weeks ago, the Buffalo Sabres passed on the opportunity to hire Quebec Remparts head coach, Patrick Roy. Sabres GM Darcy Regier opted to remove the "interim" head coach tag from Ron Rolston's job title. Regier opted for the safe choice teacher in Rolston rather than go all-in for a fire brand, take-no-prisoners head coach like Roy.
Round about the same time that the Sabres hitched their wagon to Rolston, the Avalanche took out their plunger and their blasting caps and blew up the foundation of its front-office, when they named Hall of Famer and former team captain Joe Sakic as their Executive VP of Hockey Operations. Sakic now has final say on all player personnel decisions. Avalanche governor Josh Kroenke now succeeds Pierre Lacroix as team President. Greg Sherman is still the Avs' GM, however, however, most of his authority has been given to Sakic.
Late Monday night, news broke in Denver that Roy will be the next head coach of Colorado Avalanche. Adrian Dater of the Denver Post could not get confirmation, nor denial, that Joe Sakic and the Avs brass will be naming Roy as their next head coach. However, he was able to get some insight from Roy's younger brother Stephane.
Dater reports:
The Avalanche would not confirm a deal is in place. Patrick Roy could not be reached for comment, nor could Avalanche vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic.
Stephane Roy, who played briefly in the NHL, posted on his Facebook page Monday night, "For all my friends I'd like you to know before the official news spreads that my older brother will be the new coach of the Colorado Avalanch(sic)."
After his retirement from the NHL, Roy, a two time Stanley Cup winner with the Avalanche, created a junior hockey factory in his native Quebec.
In 2005, Roy joined the Quebec Remparts as head coach and GM. Roy created a rather impressive body of coaching work, posting a 307-128-32 record, including a Memorial Cup championship.Roy had the pleasure of coaching his two sons Jonathon and Frederick while at the Quebec Remparts.
Dater says that Roy has a home in Palm Beach Garden, Florida., and according to Stephane Roy said Sakic has been there for the last few days.
Roy and Sakic are bosom buddies, having played together in Denver and with Team Canada over the years.
"People in Quebec will be sad again that my brother is leaving for Denver," Stephane Roy said. "But he has always loved Denver too, and wants the new challenge of going back to his old team."
Roy is hockey royalty, having played with the Avalanche from 1995-2003. He won two Stanley Cups championships and a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Roy is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the only player in NHL history to win a Conn Smythe in three different decades (1986, 1993 and 2001).
Talk about a thorough, top-to-bottom re-build, on the fly. The Avs are building a winner out of the multiple assets that it already possesses. Joe Sacco was hired in 2009 after Roy reportedly turned down the Avs' head coaching job.
The Avalanche are sick of losing and finishing out of the Western Conference playoffs. Last month, they earned the ultimate consolation prize when they were awarded the #1 pick in the NHL lottery. Hello, Denver native and lifelong Avs fan, Seth Jones.
Suffice to say, the Avs will not be a lottery team anymore with a strong, competitive Exec VP-bench boss combo in Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy.
All due respect to Ron Rolston, I was so hoping that Darcy Regier and the Sabres would snatch up Patrick Roy before he was hired by Colorado, or another NHL team. Dare to dream
The Roycky Mountain way is better than the way they had......
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