Breaking story we are following. Patrick Roy has resigned from his coaching job with the Avalanche
Patrick Roy released the following statement...
"For the past three years, I have carried out my duties as Head Coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Colorado Avalanche with energy, passion and determination.
I have thought long and hard over the course of the summer about how I might improve this team to give it the depth it needs and bring it to a higher level. To achieve this, the vision of the coach and VP-Hockey Operations needs to be perfectly aligned with that of the organization. He must also have a say in the decisions that impact the team's performance. These conditions are not currently met.
Today, I am informing you of my decision to leave the Colorado Avalanche organization. Though it saddens me, I have put much thought about this decision in recent weeks and have come to be fully comfortable with it.
I am grateful to the Colorado Avalanche organization, with which I remain in good terms, for letting me lead this great team. I thank all the players I have had the pleasure of coaching and the fans for their unwavering, unconditional support.
I remain forever loyal to the Avalanche with which I played 478 games, coached another 253, and won two Stanley Cups."
From earlier....
Some quick hits for your Thursday.
On Hartnell and the Isles...
With the signing of Gagner the Blue Jackets are looking to move a contract and I keep hearing Scotty Hartnell's name come up. Hartnell is a bonafide 20+ goal guy and a playoff performer. The Islanders signing of Ladd may not be enough to replace the player's they lost...There is a lot riding on the young players entering the system for sure. The Isles love their youth, and they should, but who can say that the youth is ready to score? I have talked to different sources regarding Hartnell and the Isles and some believe the deal could happen by the start of the season, while others say this could be an early season trade should the Islanders lack scoring power a month or two into the year. Either way there appears to be a good fit here.
On Shattenkirk and Montreal...
This just won't go away. Talking to some players familiar with this situation I feel more an more that (despite the public front) the Blues and Shatterkirk really don't expect to start the season together. Montreal continues to call and more than ever are looking at both Shattenkirk and Fowler as the summer winds down...
Greatest 8s?
We will discuss all this and more on today's HockeybuzzCast Live at 1pm
Listen to the HockeyBuzzCast on #iTunes w/ @eklund @mikeinbuffalo @sportsology @DanDanNoodles78 @fisherjillian https://t.co/4Vc8NnpljX #NHL
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) April 26, 2016