Jared Bednar & Co. Discussion Thread

[CobraAcesS]

Bednar still has his favorites (Bourque anybody), but he is pretty solid at giving out ice time as it is earned.

I've given Bednar plenty of crap over last year and the summer... but credit where credit is due. This team is looking to be in the mid 90s, which is a solid 10-10+ points above where they should be on paper. His coaching made last year worse, but this year his coaching is making the team better to a pretty good pace. He has pushed the right buttons and has this team playing well. He still has some flaws, but he should be commended for his job this year.

So I was right and you were wrong? (I didn't even think I was right at the start of the season..)

 

[henchman21]

So I was right and you were wrong? (I didn't even think I was right at the start of the season..)

Yeppers (Michael what did I tell you about yeppers?)

 

[22FUTON9]

Wrong thread lol

 

[Balthazar]

Coach Bednar deserves more love from this fanbase.

 

[5280]

Coach Bednar deserves more love from this fanbase.

I’ve been on his jock for a while now. At the very least he seems to be really good with all of the kids we have. He seems to push the right buttons

 

[Balthazar]

I’ve been on his jock for a while now. At the very least he seems to be really good with all of the kids we have. He seems to push the right buttons

His super calming demeanor is exactly what these kids needed.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Bednar got some hate from me last season...not a lot a but some. I've always thought it was mostly on the players not the coach. This season though...he's getting my love. Especially the last several road games. He's found a way to win games with his matchups. The games have not been pretty....they've been down right ugly at times...but his team has won...and that is all that matters in the end.

As an aside....we need a much more effective second line catalyst moving into next season. I don't care who it is or how much it takes to sign him....there has to be more on the second offensive line. For what it is worth, I'm viewing Carl's line as the third/shut-down line. Top defensive minutes.

 

[AdrianTheMagician]

Can any coach challenge Golden Knights’ Gallant for the Jack Adams? | The Hockey News ......some love for bednar for jack adams....well deserved if you ask me. Was thrown into a perfect storm last year (less than 2 weeks before season, no players/coaches fit his system, never been in nhl, etc.) but know we are seeing the reason why he has won 2 championships while coaching in other leagues....think he will continue to get better & better & better....him and SAKIC!!!

 

[RockLobster]

Yeppers (Michael what did I tell you about yeppers?)

I...I don't...

Now it's not just fine to commend Bednar for his job this year, it's absolutely warranted. However the BS that he pulled last year still prevents me from going all in with a "Bednar gets my love" type statement. That type of stuff is just plain unacceptable.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I...I don't...

Now it's not just fine to commend Bednar for his job this year, it's absolutely warranted. However the BS that he pulled last year still prevents me from going all in with a "Bednar gets my love" type statement. That type of stuff is just plain unacceptable.

Yeah I've just put down the torch and pitch fork to wait and see lol.

 

[RockLobster]

Yeah I've just put down the torch and pitch fork to wait and see lol.

Some day it's possible that some of the stuff that gets referenced will see the light of day, and it may cause some people to re-think certain things.

Look, no one is perfect, least of all me. What happened last season was, as I said, unacceptable (and I'm not just referring to the Avs' standings). It would appear that he learned from his mistake(s) and made an effort to do better, if so then genuine kudos to him. He absolutely deserves recognition for the job he's done this year, and as one of his most ardent detractors last year I will say that, I have no problem saying that. I do take issue w/ the treatment of certain players and the situations that I strongly feel that he could have absolutely avoided last year.

The kind of crappy thing is, we saw one year of absolute shit coaching and hockey and now one year of much better coaching and hockey. I thought I saw somewhere that he was on a 3 year deal...it makes evaluating sticking with him going forward very hard because how can we (or the Avs, more specifically) be sure of which year is closer to the norm? (OBVIOUSLY I'm not hoping that last year was his norm)...and what happens if a name like Barry Trotz becomes available?

 

[CobraAcesS]

Some day it's possible that some of the stuff that gets referenced will see the light of day, and it may cause some people to re-think certain things.

Look, no one is perfect, least of all me. What happened last season was, as I said, unacceptable (and I'm not just referring to the Avs' standings). It would appear that he learned from his mistake(s) and made an effort to do better, if so then genuine kudos to him. He absolutely deserves recognition for the job he's done this year, and as one of his most ardent detractors last year I will say that, I have no problem saying that. I do take issue w/ the treatment of certain players and the situations that I strongly feel that he could have absolutely avoided last year.

The kind of crappy thing is, we saw one year of absolute **** coaching and hockey and now one year of much better coaching and hockey. I thought I saw somewhere that he was on a 3 year deal...it makes evaluating sticking with him going forward very hard because how can we (or the Avs, more specifically) be sure of which year is closer to the norm? (OBVIOUSLY I'm not hoping that last year was his norm)...and what happens if a name like Barry Trotz becomes available?

Yeah, the other thing on my mind is passing up on a top tier coach because of this year.

I think if Q is let go this year we'd be stupid not to kick that tire. His coaching style is exactly how we want to play and still relevant to how to win these days.

Who knows though. Maybe he coaches well in (and into) the playoffs and changes my mind completely.

I like how he handles younger players and his goalies for the most part. I'm not convinced his love for dump and chase is a good thing, but Bennett has seemed to get through to him because there has been a better balance. Bednar reverts to it hard any time they slump though.

I would probably prefer a more proven defensive coach than Pratt if Bednar stays though.

 

[Pokecheque]

He may have less favorites than some, but he still has them. Ben Smith over Gabriel Bourque or McLeod was an obvious one. I never understood what he saw in Smith, and what he didn't like in Bourque. Smith was a clear cut AHLer, and Bourque was a clear cut NHLer in my eyes.

The Avs are just a young team, so there's not that many vets to play favorites with.

I think he's managing this teams emotions right now exceptionally well though. These are pressure packed games. They could have given up against Minny when they were playing terrible on the road, but they clawed their way back in, and picked up some goals to keep Varly from having to do it all himself.

I seem to remember (I could totally be wrong though) that Smith had a very good showing in preseason. He fell apart once the puck dropped on the regular season though.

Bednar still has his favorites (Bourque anybody), but he is pretty solid at giving out ice time as it is earned.

I've given Bednar plenty of crap over last year and the summer... but credit where credit is due. This team is looking to be in the mid 90s, which is a solid 10-10+ points above where they should be on paper. His coaching made last year worse, but this year his coaching is making the team better to a pretty good pace. He has pushed the right buttons and has this team playing well. He still has some flaws, but he should be commended for his job this year.

Agreed on all points.

I...I don't...

Now it's not just fine to commend Bednar for his job this year, it's absolutely warranted. However the BS that he pulled last year still prevents me from going all in with a "Bednar gets my love" type statement. That type of stuff is just plain unacceptable.

Some day it's possible that some of the stuff that gets referenced will see the light of day, and it may cause some people to re-think certain things.

Look, no one is perfect, least of all me. What happened last season was, as I said, unacceptable (and I'm not just referring to the Avs' standings). It would appear that he learned from his mistake(s) and made an effort to do better, if so then genuine kudos to him. He absolutely deserves recognition for the job he's done this year, and as one of his most ardent detractors last year I will say that, I have no problem saying that. I do take issue w/ the treatment of certain players and the situations that I strongly feel that he could have absolutely avoided last year.

The kind of crappy thing is, we saw one year of absolute **** coaching and hockey and now one year of much better coaching and hockey. I thought I saw somewhere that he was on a 3 year deal...it makes evaluating sticking with him going forward very hard because how can we (or the Avs, more specifically) be sure of which year is closer to the norm? (OBVIOUSLY I'm not hoping that last year was his norm)...and what happens if a name like Barry Trotz becomes available?

Even the best coaches make some insane decisions when the season goes sideways, so, not trying to start an argument here but I'm curious as to what specific things Bednar did last year that vexed you so...?

Yeah, the other thing on my mind is passing up on a top tier coach because of this year.

I think if Q is let go this year we'd be stupid not to kick that tire. His coaching style is exactly how we want to play and still relevant to how to win these days.

Who knows though. Maybe he coaches well in (and into) the playoffs and changes my mind completely.

I like how he handles younger players and his goalies for the most part. I'm not convinced his love for dump and chase is a good thing, but Bennett has seemed to get through to him because there has been a better balance. Bednar reverts to it hard any time they slump though.

I would probably prefer a more proven defensive coach than Pratt if Bednar stays though.

I think even if Trotz and Quenneville find themselves out of work, Bednar has earned another season at the very least. If things fall apart and he ends up not being "the guy" I'm sure there'll be high-end candidates once again. But even then, the Avs just don't do things that way. I just hope, whatever the case, they don't make the mistake of getting an overly conservative coach.

I don't agree that Bednar "loves" dump-and-chase. When the MacKinnon line is on they hardly ever do that. And Tyson Jost definitely prefers to carry it in whenever he's on the ice. Now, the Soda line for sure is dump-and-chase but that's just how they operate, I don't think that's a directive from the coach per se. He doesn't mind them dumping it if nothing is there, as opposed to Roy who wanted it carried in almost to a fault, but I don't think he goes out and tells them to dump it. Even guys like Toninato carry the puck a lot. If you're seeing a lot of dump-and-chase lately it may have more to do with the personnel presently on the roster. Guys like Lindholm, Bourque, Nemeth, etc. are kinda built for that type of hockey, they're simply not good enough to play a different way.

NOW...I do agree in part that he reboots in safe mode in the closing minutes too often, then they become a dump-and-chase team but that isn't even what bothers me, it's sending one guy on a weak forecheck and doing super-short shifts like they're on the PK. That and his love of overusing Nemeth to close out games has led to obvious issues when the other team pulls the goalie. He needs to trust his team more.

Lastly, on Pratt...I'm inclined to agree. I'm still very much not sold on him.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I have always said that a team to be successful it needs a good balance of "dump and chase" vs "carrying the puck". It shoulddn't be 50-50 as well. One should be more prominent depending of the players you have. I think this team has a good balance right now.

Every coach has his favorites and his weaknesses. Bednar's biggest weakness is having problem to adjust when he doesn't have the type of players he needs for his style to work. But you know what, it's ok as long as the GM recognizes that and provides him with the right players, both core and depth, to succeed. Sakic has done a great job doing just that so far. More work needs to be done but we are on the right track with that. That's why last summer I was happy to wait and see what Bednar could do with his type of players. So far I'm happy with the results.

 

[Pokecheque]

My least-favorite coaches are two types.

1. Old-school guys who are completely infatuated with talentless shot-blockers, grinders, and crease-clearers and keep their slick skill guys on a short leash.

2. New-school guys who are relentless micromanagers (i.e., Adam Oates, who steadfastly refused to let RH shots like Alex Ovechkin play on their off-wing and demanded his defensemen only skate it so far out of the zone before making a play).

Thankfully Bednar doesn't appear to be either guy.

The guy I want back in the NHL is first-year Patrick Roy. That guy was a fearless gambler and innovator. I don't know what happened to that guy after 2014, but if/when St. Patrick makes it back to the NHL, I hope we see him again.

 

[klozge]

Are we still discussing Bednar? He is a top coach and already one of the best in the NHL although he's still young. Avs will keep him for a long time and that's a good thing. He still makes mistakes at times and he doesn't know NHL playoffs at all. But he is one of the best coaches in the game right now and he still will get better.

Edit: His biggest strength still is being a developmental coach but he has grown a lot.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Pratt is in charge of the PK, which has been great. He’s also played a big role in Z and Girard’s development. He’s a great communicator at practices. Z spoke very highly of him in a Russian interview last summer. I think he’s been just fine.

 

[RockLobster]

Are we still discussing Bednar? He is a top coach and already one of the best in the NHL although he's still young. Avs will keep him for a long time and that's a good thing. He still makes mistakes at times and he doesn't know NHL playoffs at all. But he is one of the best coaches in the game right now and he still will get better.

Edit: His biggest strength still is being a developmental coach but he has grown a lot.

"Top Coach"?

LOL

The guy has had one absolutely pathetic season, that he had a hand in creating, and has followed it up with a very nice season that has the Avs pushing for a Playoff spot. The two seasons are very nearly exact polar opposites of one another, and despite this season being much better he's not shown himself to be a "Top Coach". Can he be a top coach in the NHL? Sure he can, but he's not there yet and there's nothing wrong with saying that. It's possible to give him props for the job he's done this season but still be apprehensive as to who Bednar really is as a coach, because we really just don't know yet.

 

[klozge]

"Top Coach"?

LOL

The guy has had one absolutely pathetic season, that he had a hand in creating, and has followed it up with a very nice season that has the Avs pushing for a Playoff spot. The two seasons are very nearly exact polar opposites of one another, and despite this season being much better he's not shown himself to be a "Top Coach". Can he be a top coach in the NHL? Sure he can, but he's not there yet and there's nothing wrong with saying that. It's possible to give him props for the job he's done this season but still be apprehensive as to who Bednar really is as a coach, because we really just don't know yet.

He is there yet. Just watch.

Edit: Watch and rewatch.

 

[Balthazar]

What happened last season was, as I said, unacceptable (and I'm not just referring to the Avs' standings).

WTF are you referring to? Did he touch a player inappropriately? The hell is that?

He was coming straight from the AHL and had lost the room before even setting a foot in for the first time. He didn't get to chose his assistants, players, nothing.

 

[RockLobster]

He is there yet. Just watch.

Edit: Watch and rewatch.

Yeah, I've watched. I watched last season how he presided over a historically terrible season, and then this season where there's been a turnraound. He's got a sample size that's entirely too small to already label him a top coach.

 

[RockLobster]

WTF are you referring to? Did he touch a player inappropriately? The hell is that?

He was coming straight from the AHL and had lost the room before even setting a foot in for the first time. He didn't get to chose his assistants, players, nothing.

The "he didn't get to choose his own assistants" is such a cop out. While it's true that Pratt and Army were already hired and here, let's not act like he hadn't spent the last several seasons with Pratt on his staff. It's exceptionally likely that Pratt would've been hired anyway.

Losing the room was largely his own fault.

This isn't supposed to be a re-hash of last season. The guy made some real bad mistakes, I hope he's learned from them (I'd say it looks like he has), and he's done a much better job this season than many of us thought he would this year, myself included. I just take umbrage with wanting to label him a "Top Coach" because his sample size is not even 2 full seasons, but let's call it 2. 1 season was an unacceptable mess resulting in an historically terrible finish and then this season has been a very nice turnaround.

I'm just saying I want to see more of this type of season, because last year was so terrible.

 

[5280]

He is there yet. Just watch.

Yeah I agree with this. Although I would hesitate to call him a Top Coach right now I definitely see the potential.

There were just too many maybes for me in his first year and too many variables out of his control for me to throw him under the bus.

Although I didn’t predict the success we are having this year I at least thought he should get one more year to prove last season was it wasn’t a fluke.

IMO he ends up to be the best coach to come through here since Q but it’s hard to argue either way unless you have a crystal ball. Also, it’s not really that hard, lol.

 

[Balthazar]

Yeah I agree with this.

There were just too many maybes for me in his first year and too many variables out of his control for me to throw him under the bus.

Although I didn’t predict the success we are having this year I at least thought he should get one more year to prove last season was it wasn’t a fluke.

IMO he ends up to be the best coach to come through here since Q but it’s hard to argue either way unless you have a crystal ball. Also, it’s not really that hard, lol.

People forget that young good coaches have to start somewhere. Bednar was the best coach in the AHL when hired.

"What if we pass on a good coach because Bednar" is not a good line of thinking. Bednar could very well be the next "good coach".

 

[5280]

@RockLobster

Just interested what your opinion of what the “really bad mistakes” were?

Also.....how do you know it was “largely his fault” that he lost the room?

Not trying to throw any shade your direction. Just not sure I agree with you here