Colorado Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco gets two-year contract extension –NHL Update
Colorado Avalanche might not have made the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs for the second straight time but that certainly did not force the franchise to lose hope in head coach, Joe Sacco, as they announced a two-year extension for him on Wednesday,
April 11, 2012.
Rumours were floating around the league that the Colorado management would be getting rid of Sacco during the offseason and some even went to the extent of saying that they have already begun looking for a replacement. This surely proves otherwise.
Keeping in view that the Colorado team is currently filled with rookies and younger players, the Avalanche management sees that Sacco was able to get the club in the top ranks for a major chunk of the 2011-2012 NHL regular season. It was during the later
part that Colorado fell down and lost their playoff positioning.
"Joe has earned the opportunity to lead this young team," general manager, Greg Sherman, said Wednesday. "Our club made significant strides this season and we look forward to continuing that next season."
Colorado was 20 points better this year than last and it certainly meant a lot for the organisation that steps are being taken towards getting better. Had they not have lost six of the last seven remaining games on the season schedule; Colorado would have
been playing right now in the playoffs.
"We've shown we can beat anyone," Colorado’s David Jones said. "We went into New York and beat the Rangers. We beat Boston. Those are all teams that are going to be there at the end. I think there's definitely work to be done, but we've got a good young
group and a lot of great teammates."
A number of the Colorado players will also become free agents later on this year in July, which calls for contract negotiations starting from now. Seeing how the franchise first secured Sacco was in order to get the biggest job done first and then focus
on the remaining tasks at hand.
Fans can expect Colorado Avalanche to be busy during the offseason as they continue to reorganise and constantly look for ways to improve.
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