A little over 12 hours before the Avalanche were set to begin their season, the organization announced it had agreed to terms with head coach Jared Bednar on a four-year contract extension that will keep him in Colorado through 2031. Bednar had been entering the final year of his existing contract.
The 54-year-old is entering his 11th season as head coach of the Avs and is the winningest coach in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history, carrying a 445-262-75 record across 782 regular-season games. His .594 winning percentage in the postseason ranks as the sixth-best all-time for any coach who has been behind the bench for at least 50 playoff games.
In Bednar's 10 seasons behind the Avalanche bench, the team qualified for the playoffs in all but one, winning the Stanley Cup back in 2022. Prior to joining the Avalanche, Bednar won championships behind the bench in both the AHL and ECHL.
"Jared has done an outstanding job over the last decade, and there's no doubt in my mind he's the best coach for this group," said Avalanche President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Joe Sakic in a statement. "He commands the room and has complete confidence of the players. We're excited to continue to have him in charge, and we believe that his presence maximizes the team's potential while this core group is intact."
Bednar responded in kind. "I'm extremely happy and grateful to continue leading this group," he said. "My family and I have loved being a part of this organization from the beginning, and I can't thank the Kroenke family and Joe Sakic enough for their support. I look forward to working hard each day this season and beyond to accomplish our goal of winning another Stanley Cup."
Financial terms of the extension were not disclosed in either announcement, and the Avalanche have not indicated when further contract details may be made public.