Colorado Avalanche sign head coach Jared Bednar to three-year extension
The Colorado Avalanche have signed head coach Jared Bednar to a three-year contract extension beginning with the 2023–24 season, the club announced Tuesday.
Bednar took over behind the Avalanche bench in the 2016–17 season and helped quickly turn the club around from a last-place finish in his first year with the team.
The Avalanche qualified for the postseason in 2018 and have won at least one playoff round in each of the last four years. They went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2022, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to capture their third championship.
Under Bednar’s watch, the Avalanche have posted a 281–190–52 record over parts of seven regular seasons. His playoff record is even better: 40–23.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Bednar will earn “just shy of $5 million per season” on his contract extension.
Signed, sealed, delivered ✍️#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/6VyaqQnJFl
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 21, 2023Having assumed head coaching duties with the Avalanche on Aug. 25, 2016, Bednar is the third-longest-tenured active NHL head coach. The two who predated him in their current roles — Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh (Dec. 12, 2015) and Jon Cooper in Tampa (Mar. 25, 2013) — have both won multiple Stanley Cups.
Even in a bit of a down year marred by injuries throughout their lineup, the Avalanche currently rank second in the Central Division with a 41–22–6 record, a .638 points percentage, and a +40 goal differential.
Bednar’s new contract runs through the 2026–27 season. He’s the winningest coach the Avalanche or Quebec Nordiques have ever had and is on track to pass Michel Bergeron next season for the most games coached in franchise history.
With their current six-game winning streak on the line, the Avalanche will return to action at 7:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday evening to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena in Denver, CO.