Avalanche's latest move signals confidence in Jared Bednar, but will HC deliver?

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Avalanche's latest move signals confidence in Jared Bednar, but will HC deliver?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Sep 30, 2026 1:54 PM ET

Colorado Avalanche 10th-year head coach Jared Bednar has won a lot in the Mile High City, but critics argue he hasn't won enough.

Bednar — who has posted a 445-262-75 regular-season record — is the winningest coach in franchise history. But despite leading a team that features elite talents in center Nathan MacKinnon, left winger Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Cale Makar, he has often fallen short in the playoffs, winning one Stanley Cup. And yet, the Avs believe they can capture another with the coach.

Avalanche make big Jared Bednar decision

Before their season opener against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, the Avalanche announced they signed Bednar to a four-year contract extension, keeping him in Colorado through the 2030-31 season. Some fans and media members will disagree with the move, especially after another bitter playoff exit.

Last season, the Avalanche amassed a franchise-record 121 points and finished 55-16-11, winning the Presidents' Trophy. But the Vegas Golden Knights swept Colorado in the Western Conference Final. Following the postseason failure, The Denver Post's Troy Renck pointed the finger at the coach for not making more in-game adjustments, which he has frequently failed to do in the playoffs.

10 YEARS AND COUNTING ✍️ pic.twitter.com/CWnQaSipQ2
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 30, 2026

"[Bednar] is the best coach in franchise history," wrote Renck in May after the playoff exit. "Yet, running it back would be the worst thing the organization could do."

Things risk growing stale in Colorado. Since winning the Stanley Cup during the 2021-22 season, the Avalanche have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs twice and have yet to return to the championship series. President of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic, who won two titles for the team as a center, remains confident Bednar can lead the franchise to its fourth championship.

"Jared has done an outstanding job over the last decade, and there's no doubt in my mind he's the best coach for this group," Sakic said in a statement (h/t Field Level Media). "He commands the room and has complete confidence of the players. We're excited to continue to have him in charge, and we believe that his presence maximizes the team's potential while this core group is intact."

Many in the core group may be nearing the end of their primes. MacKinnon turned 31 on Sept. 1. Makar turns 28 on Oct. 30. Landeskog, who missed three seasons because of a knee issue that required a cartilage transplant, turns 34 on Nov. 23.

As of Wednesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook gave Colorado +750 odds to win the Stanley Cup, tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the second best behind the Florida Panthers (+650). However, the championship window isn't as open as it was in previous seasons, putting more pressure on Bednar to deliver. If he doesn't, many more will question the decision to extend him.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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