Quenneville to lead Avs?
TSN.ca Staff
3/3/2004
The New York Rangers likely aren’t going to get the opportunity to interview Joel Quenneville for their head coaching position for next season.
The New York Post reports Quenneville is about to be parachuted in to replace Tony Granato as the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.
Quenneville, who was fired last week by the St. Louis Blues, was a former assistant with the Avalanche in 1995-96.
Rumors have continued to build that general manager Pierre Lacroix is about to fire Granato, a move reminiscent of the New Jersey Devils firing Robbie Ftorek with eight games to go in the season and hiring Larry Robinson. The Devils went on to win the Stanley Cup.
On paper, the Avalanche appear to have the key ingredients to win the championship this season. The offseason signing of Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne were supposed to enhance an already potent offence led by Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic.
However, injuries to Kariya, Selanne and Forsberg as well as defenseman Rob Blake coupled with tensions between Selanne and Granato have only increased the speculation surrounding Granato’s future.
******************************************
I don’t know if that will happen, but i’m very surprised to hear about this. Granato wasn’t doing a bad job in Colorado at all, even with all the injuries this year, the Avs played steady. They are going through a slump right now, but nothing says they can’t get out of it. Unless its one of those “locker room “issues where some players are unhappy? Watch for the Avs to make a move or two since they didn’t land Gonchar.
Still Quenneville is a terrific coach, so if it happens i will be happy. Too bad for Tony though, maybe he could get anoter job like scouting or something for the Avs.
21 Responses to Quenneville to lead Avs?
Leave a Reply
You must be to post a comment.
If Joel Quenville couldn’t figure out how to beat Detroit in the playoffs when he coached St. Louis, what would make Lacroix think that Quenville is the man for the job?
I have absolutely no problem with Granato as a coach (his winning % with the avs is ridiculous), but Quenneville would be a significant upgrade….
You have to wonder about all of those St. Louis playoff appearances that went by the wayside though…
The real deal breaker for the avs this season will be Forsberg’s health in the playoffs. With him in the lineup, the cup is well within reach. If he doesnt play (or plays hurt and well under 100%), it could be another short playoff season….
I liked Granato as a player but never had much confidence in his abilities as a coach. He wasn’t able to get the Avs past the Wild last year and has not been able to get the offense to perform up to expectations this year. I think Quenneville would be an upgrade and I would love to see Lacroix pull the trigger.
A monkey could coach the Avs and be good…however what the team needs is a coach who can take them to that next level and pull all of the parts together to make the engine run more efficiently. I don’t think Granato is that guy yet.
Quenneville would be a nice pick up if the Avs can make the transition. He is the kind of guy who can pull it all together for a cup run. Granato didn’t do a bad job – but look at the pieces he had to work with. Even with injuries they could still ice one of the best rosters in the NHL.
Quenneville -if he goes there – will work wonders.
So, no Joel Quinville to coach the Rangers next year. Big deal Glen Sather can get Glen Sather to coach next year.
“Granato wasn’t doing a bad job in Colorado at all…”
hmmm… Neither was Bob Hartley. Lets look at his final month as Avs coach versus Granato’s latest month (both had 13 games in a 30-day span):
Hartley: 4-3-5-1, 14 pts, 0.577
Ganato: 4-5-2-2, 12 pts, 0.462
“… even with all the injuries this year, the Avs played steady.”
Obviously not.
“… They are going through a slump right now…”
Uh, after having their best records for the months of November and January, this was one of their WORST records for any February (non-Olympic years) since moving to Colorado, 4-4-2-2, with ONLY 1 HOME WIN… seems pretty bad to me.
“… Unless its one of those ‘locker room’ issues where some players are unhappy?”
They aren’t getting paid millions to be happy. Play some f*$#ing hockey, you primadonnas!!!
“Watch for the Avs to make a move or two since they didn’t land Gonchar.”
How many MORE moves can Lacroix make? He’s been wheeling and dealing since October, FCOL!!! Adding a big trade-dealine acquisition (are there even any more players out there that can be thought of as a big trade-deadline acquision?) does not discipline the players for their inadequate play of late. Discipline is what they lack! Lacroix has lost it. He has a home on a Florida golf course next to Roy’s house — maybe its time to retire!
Denver radio is reporting Granato did not make the morning skate with the Av’s today. Makes you wonder, don’t it?
Because Colorado can beat Detroit in the playoffs, they are a better team than St.Louis
To the New York Rangers:
bwha hahahahahahahaha bwha hahahahahahahaha
You guys can have Granato. Hey maybe you guys can have Mike Richter as a head coach, remember the greatest goalie of all time
bwha hahahahahahahaha bwha hahahahahahahaha
I don’t see Quenneville being the next coach of the Avalanche. I think Lacroix will have faith in Granato as his young players have flourished under him. Milan Hejduk, Alex Tanguay, David Aebischer, John-Michael Liles, they’re all playing great. Why would Lacroix want to tamper with their development by making a coaching change with around 15 games left in this season? It wouldn’t make sense unless they were that desperate for a change, and they’re not. Granato is a good coach, give him time. Quenneville is great, don’t get me wrong, I think he’s the best coach in the NHL, but right now, they don’t need a change, and Quenneville’s system is different from the Avalanche. Next season would be good, but not right now. They should stick with Granato and ride the season out, and if an upgrade is necessary, you can bet your money that Lacroix would go after him. The only way I could see Quenneville going to the Rangers is that if the Rangers completely clear the deck in the fire sale. Quenneville is a coach who makes players show up and actually holds them accountable for their actions. He’s what the Rangers need, but he wouldn’t coach here unless things are changed for the better.
“Why would Lacroix want to tamper with their development by making a coaching change with around 15 games left in this season?”
Its not about developing the young players for future seasons. Its always been about winning the Cup. Lacroix doesn’t care about how a young guy will play in 5 years — he’ll retire well before then. And with the lockout, Forsberg will soon be gone. The whole Kariya/Sleanne thing didn’t work out — they’ll be gone. And they’ll have Sakic and Foote to guide the locker-room. More importantly, most of the whining will have ceased.
Incidently, 15 games is still a big deal. Remember the Avs momentum at the end of last season? If Lacroix wants to kick it up a notch, firing Tony G is the only way.
“Quenneville is a coach who makes players show up and actually holds them accountable for their actions.”
Exactly what the Avs need!
btw — If Pierre Lacroix REALLY wants to be remembered as a blockbuster dealmaker in the league, he’d do something very smart and totally out of left field:
Head Coach: Joel Quenneville
Asst. Coach: Ray Bourque
Think about it!
Here is the deal… look at Lecoix’s history with head coaches. Yes, the Avs have had slides in past seasons, including both Cup seasons, but the history of the Avs shows that Granato will be around for the post season. Marc Crawford won the cup the first season in Denver and then got fired when they were murder by the Canucks in the post season. Bob Hartley took the team to the Cup then lost in the following post season. His leadership slumped the next season and that led to Granato. The simple fact is that Lecoix keeps coaches for at least one full season and then if they stink in the post season then they get the axe. He is not one who has jumped ship because of a few dropped points late in the season. Faced with injuries to key players and a traditional Avalanche poor start, Granato has been doing well. Throw out the screaming match that he had with his staff last week as nothing more than his frustration and desire. To suggest the Lecoix would change coaches from one that has taken less than his full roster into battle all season to make a run at the President’s Trophy to one who led St. Louis to the fence of not making the playoffs. Quiet this rumor as nothing from people who want to see a big move from a team that is famous for big moves. Sitting 3 points out of first in the league (even after an 8 game skid), the Avs might look for some defense, but dumping the man who is holding it together, GIVE ME A BREAK!
Latest from TSN:
“Colorado won’t replace Granato
TSN.ca Staff
3/3/2004
Contrary to a report in the New York Post, Colorado will not replace current head coach Tony Granato with Joel Quenneville.
Quenneville – who will be part of TSN’s Tradecentre 04 coverage on March 9 – said that he has not been contacted by the Avalanche or any other team.
Avalanche coach Tony Granato was not at the teams’ game-day skate but neither were any of Avalanche regulars because it was an optional skate due to the team’s grueling schedule as of late.
Quenneville, who won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year in 1999-2000, lead the Blues to 40 wins or more in five of the six full seasons he was in charge.
The Blues, ravaged by injuries were 29-23-7-2 when they fired Quenneville in a year where they were expected to challenge for first place.”
Optional skate? Grueling schedule? WTF? Losing teams don’t have “optional” skates. And how exactly is their schedule “grueling?” Tonight’s game will be the Avs 13th in 30 days with NO back-to-backs and no road trips longer than 2 games. How the HELL is that a difficult schedule?
Sounds like a little snow-job to the media to me. This makes me wonder even more!
If you look at the St. Louis payroll and the talent on that team, there’s really no excuse for the Blues floundering as long as they have. Quenville hasn’t shown me much – just making the playoffs year after year but never going anywhere isn’t good enough for Colorado, I don’t think.
As a Red Wing fan, I say let him go to Colorado and let the Avs flounder for a change.
i don’t think this is going to happen. it doesn’t make any sense at all. granato is doing well as a coach for the avs and tell me what coach hasn’t gone thru a slump where the team loses more than it wins for a short period of time?
the avs are going to pull out of this and be strong in the playoffs. plus tony’s sister, cammi, is really nice person and very talkative!
look it’s either tony was being informed of his dismissal or being informed on a trade that may alter his line up right now its all just speculation well all have to wait till tonight to find out for sure!
Quenville’s regular season record is great, but he has disappointed in the playoffs. How can he have enough talent to make the playoffs every year and be close to the top teams in the NHL in points, but not go far in the playoffs? I don’t think the Blues have ever made it to the conference finals under Quenville, never mind winning the Cup.
I guess people will have doubts with his playoff record.
The team just got a little down after losing to Vancouver the last time out. With any luck, they bamboozle the nuckleheads tonight and get right back on the winning track.
The boys have been waiting for tonight’s game. Bring it you whiny little nucks!
I bet the Av’s front office will take that into consideration if they decide to make a coaching change.
Tony: “Thanks Cammi”
Cammi: “No problem Tony”
You moron, it was an optional skate, that 3/4 of the players didnt make. Just ice time you goof!!
I want Iron Mike Keenen in New York next year