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First up there is a radio interview with Adam Foote.
Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote joins the Drive to talk about the Avs decision to hire Patrick Roy as their Head Coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations and if he would consider joining the coaching staff. Also what it takes to build a successful franchise.
After the Memorial Cup a lot of people think that the Avalanche should pick MacKinnon.
Johnson went first in ’06 to St. Louis, but after the Blues saw shortcomings that made them unwilling to make a long-term contractual commitment, they moved the big blue-liner to the Avalanche. In the six drafts since, a defenceman went in the top five every year, but the forward or forwards taken before those back-liners were all the wiser choice.
Sunday night, then, was the last time MacKinnon and Jones were scheduled to meet as juniors, a rivalry that really was always more about where they are headed than where they are now.
In that light, MacKinnon seems the wiser choice for the Avs — how do you not take an electric attacker like that? — but we’ll see what the new braintrust in Denver led by Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy has to say.
The New York Times talks about Roy becoming the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.
When it comes to the game on the ice, DeBoer says he does not believe junior coaches have difficulty making the transition.
He also said Roy’s transition could be eased by his playing experience and by his ability to connect with players.
“Patrick’s got a leg up on where I was because, while I had played pro hockey, I hadn’t played at the N.H.L. level and he obviously played for a long time,” DeBoer said. “So there’s a lot of things I dealt with for the first time that he’s already got a good handle on.”
If there is one adjustment Roy will have to make, DeBoer said, it will be working within a system that does not allow him to act autonomously.
The Toronto Star also thinks the Avs should pass on Jones.
As well, Sakic and Roy have the first pick in next month’s entry draft. If they’re smart they’ll either a) grab Nathan MacKinnon and run or b) trade down for multiple picks and prospects.
Sure, they can also take Seth Jones, who looks poised to enjoy a 15-year NHL career. He’s tall, he’s a great skater, he’s very skilled and he plays without an edge.
He sounds like the aforementioned Johnson. Or Victor Hedman. Which isn’t bad, but isn’t great, or as great as the Avs need it to be.
The two reasons cited most often behind the thinking that Colorado will take Jones — he’s a defenceman, which they need, and he grew up in Denver — are both relatively immaterial if the objective is to make the best hockey decision.
Should the Avalanche keep Bordeleau?
When the Colorado Avalanche begin to look at their three pending unrestricted free agents at forward, one name should jump out as the obvious choice to bring back. While Chuck Kobasew and Milan Hejduk are veterans on the decline, Patrick Bordeleau is young, tough and very good at the enforcer role for the Avalanche. With a plethora of young talent up front, keeping a heavyweight like Bordeleau around to keep opponents in check will be vital, and with Patrick Roy stepping in as head coach, the odds of Bordeleau staying around should increase.