The Colorado Avalanche have settled their general manager situation, and the answer is the one plenty around the team expected all along: Joe Sakic.
According to a report by Evan Rawal in the Denver Gazette, the organization has confirmed that Sakic will be its next GM, ending any plans for a broader search. Multiple sources had indicated the Avalanche were prepared to conduct an extensive search this past summer, but that changed after Sakic stepped in on a temporary basis.
There are no plans to conduct a GM search now. It's Sakic's job.
Sakic originally took over after the departure of Chris MacFarland earlier this summer, and what could have turned into a chaotic stretch instead settled into something much cleaner. Rawal noted that Sakic has felt “reinvigorated” in the role, and the team has clearly decided it likes the direction he provides.
That decision keeps the Avalanche in the hands of the architect who helped deliver the 2022 Stanley Cup. MacFarland, who was promoted after that championship run, was unable to add another title over the next four seasons. Now the full-time reins are back with Sakic, and Colorado enters the season with the kind of roster support that should give Jared Bednar plenty to work with.
The Avalanche have built on a strong core, and this summer’s moves are expected to add more punch heading into the year. There are still questions, as there are with any contender, but the lineup looks set up for another serious run.
Sakic also helped the Avalanche avoid the kind of organizational mess that has engulfed Detroit. Earlier this summer, the Red Wings let Steve Yzerman go, and the situation has remained unsettled. Days before training camp, Detroit still does not have a GM, and Dylan Larkin remains on the roster after his trade request.
Colorado never let things drift that far. By making Sakic’s role permanent, the Avalanche kept the transition smooth and avoided the sort of uncertainty that can swallow a team whole.
Now the focus shifts to the ice. With training camp set to begin this week, the Avalanche have their leadership in place and an 84-game season ahead to show what this group can do. With the talent on the roster and the Cale Makar contract saga quickly fading into the background, Colorado has a real shot to chase another Stanley Cup.
In Other News...
Avalanche Rookie Weekend Put A Few Unexpected Names On The Radar
The Avalanches rookie weekend offered the usual first look at the organizations next wave, with a practice session leading into two games at the rookie tournament. Colorado handled Anaheim 7-2 in the opener before dropping the second game to Vegas 6-5 in a shootout, giving the staff a quick early read on who looked comfortable in a fast, competitive setting.
A few names stood out along the way, including Teddy Lechner, Alex Gagne and Beckett Hamilton, each of them making enough of an impression to land on the radar coming out of the weekend. For an Avalanche system that always has to balance immediate depth needs with longer-term development, these are the kinds of early showings that can matter when training camp starts to tighten the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Add A Proven Winner To A Roster Still Facing Questions
Jaden Schwartz brings a championship pedigree and a familiar touch of Colorado to a roster that still has plenty to prove. The former St. Louis Blues forward, who won the Stanley Cup in 2019, has signed a three-year contract with the Avalanche, adding another experienced piece to a team that keeps pushing for another deep playoff run. His connection to the state goes back to his college career, which gives this move a little more weight than a typical offseason addition.
Schwartz is now getting ready to join the group and work his way into the lineup, a process that will matter as much as the contract itself. Colorado has talent, but it also has questions, and bringing in a player who has already lived through the grind of a championship run gives the Avalanche another voice in the room as they chase the same goal again. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Camp Suddenly Has A Forward Crunch Fans Should Watch
Colorados recent rookie tournament offered a useful glimpse at two names worth tracking as camp approaches, with TJ Hughes and Taylor Makar both making a strong impression. Hughes, the Avalanches top NCAA free agent signing, is viewed as a player who should get his first NHL look at some point, while Makars path is a little different after already logging limited NHL time and showing enough to at least enter the conversation for a fourth-line role.
Their rise matters because the Avalanche are already navigating a crowded forward picture, and that kind of internal pressure can ripple through the rest of the roster. Even if both players are likely to start in the AHL because of waiver rules and cap constraints, their performance gives Colorado more options, whether that means forcing a tougher camp decision or creating added trade flexibility down the line. [Read more 🡒]