Andrew Cogliano’s climb in Colorado keeps picking up speed.
The Avalanche announced Tuesday that the former forward has been promoted to assistant general manager, a move that expands his role in the organization only two years after he stepped away from a 17-year NHL career.
Cogliano, 39, had spent the past two seasons working as special assistant to general manager Joe Sakic. In that job, he handled player development, professional and amateur scouting, and time with the Colorado Eagles.
He also took part in the evaluation of T.J. Hughes, who stood out in training camp and earned a place on the opening-night roster.
The promotion has been floating around the Avalanche for a while. It now becomes official.
Cogliano’s path back into Colorado’s structure was built on what he did as a player for the club. He arrived at the 2022 trade deadline and became part of the team’s Stanley Cup run that spring, skating in all 20 playoff games as Colorado beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. After years of chasing the trophy, he finally got his name on it.
In total, Cogliano played 172 regular-season games for the Avalanche and finished with 39 points. He also added 11 points in 31 playoff games.
Before his Colorado stop, Cogliano had already put together one of the most durable careers of his era. He appeared in 1,294 regular-season games across five NHL teams, and his career began with an 830-game ironman streak that ranked fourth in NHL history at the time.
Cogliano retired on June 21, 2024, and moved quickly into the front office. Sakic made clear how much he had already meant to the staff, saying, “He’s been a key member of our staff since he decided to retire as a player,” Sakic said.
A first-round pick by Edmonton at No. 25 in the 2005 NHL Draft, Cogliano played two seasons at Michigan before turning pro. He also won gold for Canada at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships.
Now the title is bigger, and so is the responsibility. The promotion gives Cogliano more say inside an organization he already knows well, and it also puts him on a path that could lead to an even larger role in Colorado down the line, potentially one day succeeding Sakic in charge of the Avalanche’s hockey operations.
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