Bednar has to be fired right?

[Gregor Samsa]

Dallas is a strong and deep club even without 2 of their best players. Both teams were legitimate cup threats. The playoff format usually gives us a series or two in the 1st round that are more appropriate for conference finals or semifinals. I wish they’d go back to 1-8 with division winners getting top seeds.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Bednar being on the chopping block shouldn’t be based on this season alone. It should be based on the fact that he’s had an all-star team for the majority of the time he has been coach and has helped to get the Avs out of the second round once. Additionally, losing to the same coach 4 times isn’t a great sign

 

[The Panther]

Avs cup contending window has closed.

Yeah... that seems a little overstated, to put it mildly.

The Avs have the 2nd or 3rd-best forward in the world, still in his prime, as their leader. They have the NHL's best defenceman, who might not have even peaked yet. Lehkonen, Toews, Nečas, and Nichushkin are among the NHL's best players. From December 19th onward, the Avs were the 2nd-best team in the NHL, during which period they had the 2nd-best defense in the NHL.

They're actually in an enviable position.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Bednar's lineup changes tend to cost him, he had a good thing going with Nelson and Necas working well together then changed it for no reason and never went back to it. He also doesn't adjust very well, he wants to play in his system and won't stray from it, which we saw from the Avs anemic PP in this series. His system worked fine until teams figured it out, heavy forecheck pressure and clog up the neutral zone, but he will just keep trying it over and over.

Avs fans love Bednar and appreciate the win in 2022, but at this point, we just think the team needs a fresh voice in the locker room.

 

[mab894]

As a Blues fan I hope he gets fired. One of the best coaches in the league imo. Who are you gonna replace him with thats better?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

That was my response as well. Lindgren got completely turnstiled, like something you’d see from a forward forced to play D. The coach can’t help it if his players just screw up.

I mean in the end it was a freak bounce off a player's skate but the whole rush happened because Val Nichushkin inexplicably backs up and floats into no mands along the boards land when his D were alredy back instead of attacking Rantanen.

If he just steps up and pressures or even steers Rantanen to one side it doesn't happen. That's more on him and awful PK'ing as a forward.

 

[GMR]

Blame the players for taking stupid penalties in key moments.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I mean in the end it was a freak bounce off a player's skate but the whole rush happened because Val Nichushkin inexplicably backs up and floats into no mands along the boards land when his D were alredy back instead of attacking Rantanen.

If he just steps up and pressures or even steers Rantanen to one side it doesn't happen. That's more on him and awful PK'ing as a forward.

He was marking Johnston, who can’t be seen along the boards because of the fans standing up.

Aside from his backward skating being a bit awkward, I don’t have an issue with his positioning there. He ought to be taking one of the trailing forwards, confident that his D and goalie can handle the resulting 1-on-2.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Prime Makar and MacKinnon for 7 years. One trip to the conference finals is unacceptable

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I can't find any excuse why he shouldn't

 

[serp]

Unsure if there is a good replacement out there . You don't fire a good coach ( despite his shortcomings ) just to fire him without a plan on how to replace him.

 

[M88K]

Unsure if there is a good replacement out there . You don't fire a good coach ( despite his shortcomings ) just to fire him without a plan on how to replace him.

is he a good coach though? or is he getting by because Mackinnon and Makar are 2 of the best possible players to have in a lineup?
And his entire system is run them into the ground to win games

 

[behemolari]

No Heiskanen, No Robertson alone should have made the Avs the overwhelming favorite.

But blowing a 2 goal lead and losing in regulation in game 7 with 15 minutes left? How does any coaching staff survive this

its not Bednar fault he didnt play Avs MVP of the season Mikko Rantanen

 

[KAWAIlllI]

Fire Sakic

 

[BednarIsStupid]

Prime Makar and MacKinnon for 7 years. One trip to the conference finals is unacceptable

Yup.

 

[BednarIsStupid]

is he a good coach though? or is he getting by because Mackinnon and Makar are 2 of the best possible players to have in a lineup?
And his entire system is run them into the ground to win games

How is it that other teams know this?

 

[Bruce Granville]

I’ve seen Bednar be out couched every series against Deboer up til this one. Pratt needs to be removed as well as McFarland. Cale had a very mediocre series on away ice.

Sounds like that could be my forte…
I‘m only second to Homer…on a bad day…possibly…

 

[Skeksis25]

Man, people love acting like firing a coach is an answer. They rarely offer who should be hired instead as a replacement who is guaranteed to do better. In the NHL specially it seems like teams are always looking for the answer basically every two years. Bednar lasted so long. Surely Colorado is better off jumping into the coaching blender instead.

 

[Jumptheshark]

No Heiskanen, No Robertson alone should have made the Avs the overwhelming favorite.

But blowing a 2 goal lead and losing in regulation in game 7 with 15 minutes left? How does any coaching staff survive this

Dallas has lots of depth to cover up those two loses

 

[serp]

Dallas has lots of depth to cover up those two loses

Robertson i agree especially with Seguin back we have plenty of depth on that front . Heiskanen on the other hand is huge deal.

It's especially hilarious that instead of playing Dumba or Smith who played as #6 and #7 in the regular season we play Alex Petrovic and Lian Bichsel as #5 and #6 . Bichsel is a former 1st round pick so not really strange but Petrovic has now appeared in 14 playoff games for the Stars since he first signed here ( 4 years ago ) but only 6 regular season games.

 

[serp]

Man, people love acting like firing a coach is an answer. They rarely offer who should be hired instead as a replacement who is guaranteed to do better. In the NHL specially it seems like teams are always looking for the answer basically every two years. Bednar lasted so long. Surely Colorado is better off jumping into the coaching blender instead.

They could go with Laviolette and hope in the 2-3 years before his teams usually turn on him they can squeeze out another cup run. Other than that who is even available ? Quennville would be a huge gamble , Torts looks burned out. Maybe Tocchet ?

 

[bobholly39]

Yeah - I don't know. I don't follow Colorado's team and coaching enough to have a super strong opinion one way or another on if he should be fired.

What I will say is this: if you weren't going to fire him going into the 3rd period when Colorado was up 2-0, you STILL don't fire him after that loss. That 3rd period turnaround 100% was not on him or coaching.

Now if you wanted to fire him anyways because he's not a good coach etc - fine.

 

[HabsQC]

If you're going to make changes, can we have Lehkonen back ? You can keep Drouin though

 

[centipede2233]

Colorado lost that game because the defence helped Rantanen score the first 2 goals, and drury a 4th liner taking a dumb penalty. I’d get rid of Girard and drury first if anything.

 

[shadow1]

Yeah... that seems a little overstated, to put it mildly.

The Avs have the 2nd or 3rd-best forward in the world, still in his prime, as their leader. They have the NHL's best defenceman, who might not have even peaked yet. Lehkonen, Toews, Nečas, and Nichushkin are among the NHL's best players. From December 19th onward, the Avs were the 2nd-best team in the NHL, during which period they had the 2nd-best defense in the NHL.

They're actually in an enviable position.

Replace Necas with Rantanen and that's the same group they've had dating back to 2022. MacFarland has just burned three years being unable to build around that core. MacKinnon scored 7 goals against the Stars. Drouin and Nelson had none. Coyle had 1 point, a goal in the dying seconds of game one. Wood was healthy scratched six times despite 4 years left on his deal. MacFarland has traded an ungodly amount of assets (Byram, Ritchie, multiple 1sts) to surround the core he inherited with what's amounted to absolute junk.

This is all to say that I don't think the post made by @Junohockeyfan is hyperbole. As they stated, the team still (somehow) has multiple holes and no prospect help coming. They'll be a good regular season team again for a few more years. But there's no evidence to suggest MacFarland - who should absolutely be fired, but won't be - has a clue how to shape this team into a contender rather than pretender.