from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post,
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar wants to do like Jon Cooper.
Bednar wants to go from the proverbial pressure cooker to a multiple Stanley Cup champion.
In 2018-19, the Tampa Bay Lightning won the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s regular-season champion before getting swept in the first round of the playoffs. Cooper, a sixth-year head coach at the time, was retained while many wanted him fired.
Cooper then led Tampa Bay to back-to-back championships.
“I’ve talked to Jon Cooper at length,” said Bednar, who is beginning his sixth season with the Avs.
In other words, Bednar has picked Cooper’s brain about how to get a championship-caliber team over the hump. He’s tried to understand what he could have done better to beat San Jose in Game 7 in 2019, beat Dallas in Game 7 in 2020 and avoid an 0-4 meltdown in June to lose to Vegas in six games.
Colorado, the 2021 President’s Trophy winner, has failed to get out of the second round of the playoffs for three consecutive years. And if it happens again — or the team falls apart in the regular season — Bednar realizes he will likely lose his job.
“No one’s going to put more pressure on me than I do, because I see how committed our guys are, how bad they want it,” he said from training camp.
Create an Account
In order to leave a comment, please create an account.