Avalanche Management Shakeup

The shakeup has begun.

Head coach Tony Granato, assistant coaches Jacques Cloutier and Dave Barr along with goaltending coach Jeff Hackett are gone from the coaching staff while assistant GM Michel Goulet and video coordinator PJ Deluca are gone as well.

So that's the entire coaching staff, a Nordiques legend plus what appears to be someone caught in the crossfire (ie. "acceptable losses")

I'm surprised that Goulet is gone but damn am I glad to see the entire coaching staff removed. I was getting worried that the organization was just paying lip service to the need to clean house and get the organization back on track.

Lacroix is either close to naming a new GM or wanted to attract a few eyeballs in the GM world to prove things will be different.

UPDATE: Damn, AD has the scoop on the new structure and Greg Sherman is the new GM with Craig Billington as his assistant. I really have to get ready to go to work so more thoughts when I wake up (yes, I type in my sleep).

Franois Giguere...You're Fired!

As I'm waiting in line to check in to head back to Saskatoon, I got a text message from TSN stating "Colorado Avalanche fire General Manager Francois Giguere"

It's not surprising this happened nor is it surprising it happened this soon. This was a dreadful season and seeing players like Tyler Arnason and Darcy Tucker on the ice magnified the horror. With two 1-0 losses to close out the season, that was all the big shots could handle.

Swift action is a sign that ownership is as pissed off as we are about how the last three seasons went down so I'm feeling a bit optimistic at the moment.

That they didn't announce a dual firing could indicate that Tony G gets to stick around for another year.

More thoughts once I'm back in moose country.

Related Links
Changes in Colorado
Avs fire GM Giguere
Giguere fired
Avalanche fire Giguere, Lacroix resumes control

Joel Quenneville Parts Ways with Colorado Avalanche

After all that work I did this morning - and after telling myself to just wait because a decision was imminent - the decision has been made: Joel Quenneville will not return as the head coach of the Avalanche.

I like the mutual decision as it appears to mean Q is willing to realize he wasn't bringing the necessary methodology to the table.