We got word that the Colorado Avalanche granted the Nashville Predators permission to speak with Chris MacFarland about the Predators’ General Manager position. That news quickly led to the announcement of his hiring and his move on from the Avalanche organization.
The former GM in Colorado just so happens to be proven
and beloved Avalanche legend Joe Sakic, who will now resume the duties he held for the Avalanche from 2014 to 2021.
Sakic was promoted to President of Hockey Operations in 2022, at which time Chris MacFarland was promoted to GM of the Avalanche. He and Sakic worked together to build the 2022 Cup champion and every Avs team since then.
After Colorado’s untimely and unexpected elimination from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, fans and pundits looked to see what changes would result from the collapse.
Well, we have an answer: Chris MacFarland out, Sakic back in, and we have word that the Avalanche will not be moving on from Jared Bednar.
Chris Earned It
Now, I’m not going to pretend I have been a fan of every single move we’ve seen MacFarland make over his tenure in Colorado, but I will say he did plenty to prove that any team in the league would do well to secure his services.
He successfully re-vamped an Avalanche crease that was costing the team dearly, leveraged Mikko Rantanen for a 100-point scorer that’s signed into the future, and a depth centerman that could be a focal part of the bottom six for years to come.
Most impressively, he helped Sakic form the stacked 2022 Stanley Cup Champion team.
I would argue the “cup window” pressured MacFarland into short-sighted dealings, and where I see his shortcomings, I really see the risk side of a high-risk/high-reward strategy.
Most fans and pundits agree with the philosophy because you can’t waste Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar’s prime to develop younger, less proven talent.
Sakic Still Has His Guy
When Joe Sakic got the GM gig in 2014, fellow Avs legend Patrick Roy was the head coach of a team with budding superstar talent in Nathan MacKinnon, but Roy’s time as head coach was stained by a sophomore slump for MacK and an older, less successful group in 2015. That, along with issues with roster control and management, led to Roy’s leaving in 2016 just ahead of training camp.
When the Avalanche looked for a replacement, Joe Sakic chose Jared Bednar, who many viewed as a shoo-in for the gig as soon as Roy left. With little time to get prepared, Bednar’s Colorado Avalanche stumbled out of the gate.
Many viewed Bednar’s hiring as a huge risk as he had zero NHL coaching experience at the time, but had won at every level below.
When Bednar’s Avalanche only amassed 48 points in Colorado’s worst regular season ever, Joe Sakic gave Bednar a vote of confidence in the following quote for the Denver Post.
“As I told you last time, there is no thought otherwise. He’s coming back… I like the way Jared handles himself. He didn’t make excuses. He came to work every day.”
We all know what happened after that, but I’ll sum it up by saying Jared Bednar successfully won a cup at the NHL level and is the Avalanche’s all-time winningest head coach.
Needless to say, if Sakic is back behind the GM’s desk, Jared Bednar is still his guy.
I, for one, think this team is in desperate need of a consistent message, and with fewer voices at the top and a what feels like a more reserved decision-maker in Sakic, I think this move can re-established some order in that regard.
Let us know what you think of the shake-up in the comments!
