Jared Bednar's 800-Game Milestone Story of Patience, Perseverance with Avalanche
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Jared Bednar probably didn't envision spending a decade behind the Colorado Avalanche bench when he accepted his first NHL coaching position in August 2016.
The Avalanche endured one of the most miserable seasons in modern franchise history, finishing with just 48 points. For a first-year coach inheriting a struggling organization, the experience could have marked the beginning and end of his career.
Instead, it became the opening chapter of an impressive transformation.
On Saturday, Bednar coached the 800th regular-season game with the Avalanche, reaching a milestone that once seemed almost inconceivable.
From Rock Bottom to Hockey's Summit
Bednar arrived in Colorado after guiding the Lake Erie Monsters to the 2016 Calder Cup championship.
His credentials were impressive, but his new assignment presented challenges that minor-league success couldn't entirely prepare him for.
The Avalanche finished 22-56-4 during the 2016-17 campaign, a disastrous introduction that placed considerable scrutiny on the organization's direction.
Management resisted the temptation to make another coaching change.
That decision proved consequential.
The Avalanche improved to 43-30-9 the following season, returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and beginning their ascent into the NHL's upper echelon.
By 2022, Bednar had guided the Avalanche to their third Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
The coach who once presided over a 48-point season had become the architect of a championship team.
Longevity Is an Accomplishment of Its Own
Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings provided a fitting backdrop for Bednar's latest achievement.
Coaching longevity in professional hockey is notoriously precarious. Disappointing stretches can quickly erode organizational confidence, while even successful bench bosses occasionally find themselves dismissed when expectations go unmet.
Bednar has navigated both extremes.
His championship pedigree commands respect, but his ability to remain behind the same bench through roster turnover, injuries and shifting competitive circumstances speaks to something equally important.
He has provided the Avalanche with a continuity that few NHL organizations enjoy.
And although the Avalanche have experienced their share of turbulence since winning the Cup, Bednar has continued adapting rather than clinging rigidly to previous formulas.
More Than a Championshp Ring
The significance of 800 games extends beyond durability.
Bednar's tenure illustrates what can happen when an organization evaluates a coach's long-term capabilities rather than allowing immediate results to dictate every decision.
The Avalanche could have abandoned their experiment following that first season.
Instead, the franchise committed to a broader vision, allowing its young core to mature alongside a coach who was still developing at the NHL level.
That patience ultimately produced a championship.
The Avalanche will inevitably be judged by their ability to pursue another Stanley Cup, and Bednar understands that previous accomplishments provide little protection against future disappointment.
Still, his place in frahchise history is secure.
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Jason Fink is an NHL writer and lifelong hockey fan who fell in love with the game when he watched Wayne Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1987 Stanley Cup Final. When he’s not writing, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife Michelle and their son Theo and daughter Stella. Whether he’s following the latest NHL news or cheering from the rink, his passion for the sport has been a constant throughout his life.