Patrick Roy Resigns from his Role with the Colorado Avalanche

Patrick Roy announced on Thursday that he was stepping down from his position of head coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations with the Colorado Avalanche. 

In a press statement, Roy said, “For the past three seasons, I have carried out my duties as head coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Colorado Avalanche with energy, passion and determination.”

He continued, “I have thought long and hard over the course of the summer about how I could improve this team to give it the depth that it needs to bring it to a higher level. To achieve this, the vision of the coach and VP 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.”

He added, “Though it saddens me, I have put much thought into this decision in recent weeks and have come to be fully comfortable with it.”

In three seasons behind the bench with the Avalanche, Roy put up a 130-92-24 record. During the 2013-2014 season he led Colorado to a Central Division Title and won the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year. Since that first season at the helm, the Avalanche have failed to qualify for the postseason. 

This past season the team finished five points behind the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference, with a 39-39-4 record, just falling short of the second wild card, and final playoff spot. 

Roy was hired by his former teammate and captain, Joe Sakic, only two weeks after Sakic was named the general manager of the Avalanche. Prior to becoming the coach in Colorado, May of 2013, Roy was the coach of the Quebec Remparts, of the Quebec Major Junior League, since the 2004-2005 season. A team that he was also the owner of since 1997. 

As teammates, Roy and Sakic hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996 and then again in 2001. 

Sakic said, “Patrick informed me of his decision today. We appreciate all that he has done four our organization and wish him the best of luck in the future. We will begin the search for a new coach immediately.”    

The timing of the decision by Roy, comes as a surprise, as both he and Sakic had hoped to keep everything the same behind the bench in Denver.