Avalanche's Jared Bednar Gets Honest About NHL Standings

The belief is that if Colorado plays to its potential on a nightly basis, the results will take care of themselves. And so far, that belief is paying off in a big way. "We feel like if we play to the best of our ability on a nightly basis, we're going to give ourselves a real good chance to win," the head coach said.

Enjoying the Journey

What stands out most about this Avalanche team is the energy around the group. Winning streaks can be stressful for some teams, with the pressure mounting to keep it going. But Bednar says the vibe in Colorado's room is the opposite.

"It's pretty low stress. We're enjoying it," Bednar explained. "That's part of the messaging we want our team to have. Enjoy the journey and the road to get to where we want to go. In order to do that, you got to work extremely hard and be focused on what you need to do on a daily basis."

The reward for all that hard work is a locker room where everyone is in a good mood and the wins keep piling up. Bednar compared it to a snowball rolling downhill, gaining momentum with every victory.

Player-Driven Culture

Perhaps the most important sign that Colorado is built for long-term success is how much the messaging has been absorbed by the players themselves. Bednar talked about how his coaching staff identifies the habits and behaviors that lead to winning, then drives those points home with consistency until the players start holding each other accountable.

"The more consistent you are with the language of your team and the verbiage that you use, the more your team picks up on it and they start to drive home the same messages," Bednar said. "All that, or most of that, is done by the players at this point. We're a quarter of the way into the season, almost a third of the way in, and I like what I'm hearing from our team."

When the players are driving the message instead of just receiving it, that's when you know something special is happening. The Avalanche aren't just winning games. They're building something that could last deep into the spring.