Avalanche Coach Patrick Roy Resigns, Explains Rifts With Organization

Just one month before the beginning of NHL training camps, the Colorado Avalanche’s Patrick Roy resigned as the franchises’s head coach and vice president of hockey operations on Thursday afternoon.

Avalanche Coach Patrick Roy Resigns, Explains Rifts With Organization

Roy, 50, released the following statement to announce the move:

“For the past three years, I have carried out my duties as head coach and vice president of hockey operations for the Colorado Avalanche with energy, passion and determination.

I have thought long and hard over the course of the summer about how I might improve this team to give it the depth it needs and bring it to a higher level. To achieve this, the vision of the coach and V-P of hockey operations needs to be perfectly aligned with that of the organization. He must also have a say in the decisions that impact the team’s performance. These conditions are not currently met.

Today, I am informing you of my decision to leave the Colorado Avalanche organization. Though it saddens me, I have put much thought about this decision in recent weeks and have come to be fully comfortable with it.

I am grateful to the Colorado Avalanche organization, with which I remain in good terms, for letting me lead this great team. I think all the players I have had the pleasure of coaching and the fans for their unwavering, unconditional support.

I remain forever loyal to the Avalanche with which I played 478 games, coached another 253, and won two Stanley Cups.”

The Canadian took over as coach of the Avalanche prior to the 2013-2014 season after a successful coaching tenure in the QMJHL and was behind the bench for a surprising 52-win season that saw the team go from being one of the worst in the league just one year earlier to one of the top teams.

Nevertheless, the Avalanche still face several problems that should have already been corrected, primarily possession. They have missed the playoffs for the past two years. After this past season, Roy criticized the team’s core, asserting they needed to show more leadership, and that it was unacceptable for the team to miss the playoffs.

That core includes top-line players like Nathan MacKinnon, Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie. Now, the Avalanche have to try and find the coach who can develop a strategy for it one month before the team is set to report for training camp.

Furthermore, it appears that Roy didn’t always exactly agree on everything with Avalanche executive vice president/general manager Joe Sakic.

Sakic wasn’t immediately available to comment on Roy’s resignation because he is on vacation. However, the former eventually released the following statement:

“Patrick informed me of his decision today,” said Sakic. “We appreciate all he has done for our organization and wish him the best of luck in the future.”

“We will begin the search for a new head coach immediately,” Sakic continued. 

 Denver Post reporter Mike Chambers also commented on specific “philosophical differences” between the two Avs executives:

LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 24: Patrick Roy of the Coloradao Avalanche poses after winning the Jack Adams Award during the 2014 NHL Awards at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on June 24, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)