Q fired again...

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TSN wrote:AVS, QUENNEVILLE AGREE TO PART WAYS

The Colorado Avalanche are in the market for a new head coach.

The club announced on Friday that Joel Quenneville will not return to coach the Avs for a fourth season.

"After meeting with Joel, we mutually agreed that the best decision for both parties involved is to go separate ways," said Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere. "On behalf of the organization, I want to thank Joel for his years of service and wish him the best in his coaching career."

Colorado finished in sixth place in the Western Conference this season and defeated the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs before being swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round.

Quenneville, who was in the last year of a contract had a 131-92-23 record in his three seasons in Denver.

Re: Q fired again...

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Well, technically his contract wasn't renewed...yeah, dead man walking all season, considering no coach in the pros you want to have around ever enters a final year of a contract without at least talks of an extension going on. Guigerre is being very tight-lipped on why he wanted a change and what direction he'll go in. By some standards Queenie did a great job considering all the injuries and the resurgence of Jose, but by others he was a pretty uninspiring leader. You of course know who's the top name in the rumor mill to replace him, right?
"I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. . . . I'm not a schemer. I just do things."

Re: Q fired again...

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Someone with a little more fire than Q...
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"I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. . . . I'm not a schemer. I just do things."

Re: Q fired again...

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Alexhead wrote:Someone with a little more fire than Q...
heh, oh yeah - i heard that. but i heard that the NHL is reticent to let him in after the trouble he & his son got into during a minor league game a few months ago...

...which is why i would love to see it happen. the NHL could use a bob knight.

Re: Q fired again...

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Hm, nobody's talked about that here although I'd believe it...the NHL is run by morons. The most personality-starved professional sport out there should be craving, as you so nicely put it, their own Bobby Knight. Even if it's a brief and perhaps disastrous stint, it would help revitalize one market (ours) and perhaps lead to some national headlines. The Red Wings cruising to their 30th Cup or whatnot ain't gonna do that.
"I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. . . . I'm not a schemer. I just do things."

Re: Q fired again...

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Hockeybuzz wrote:Granato named Avs' coach

Great to see one of my all-time favorite players being named Head Coach of the Avs today (for the second time). Interesting that the team didn't decide to go in a new direction but clearly this is a franchise that has no problem bringing back individuals into familiar roles (see Foote, Adam and Forsberg, Peter).

I wouldn't have been surprised if Patrick Roy was the first choice here, but Sir Patrick decided to stay in the Q for another year. In that context, this move makes a lot of sense...

Team Release Below.

Danny

Granato Named Head Coach
Colorado Avalanche May 22, 2008, 11:41 AM EDT

Colorado Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere announced today the appointment of Tony Granato as the franchise’s head coach. Granato previously served as the team’s head coach from 2002-2004.

With Granato as head coach, the Avalanche compiled a record of 72-33-17-11, giving him the top coaching mark in franchise history based on points percentage (.647). Granato owns a .605 career winning percentage as an NHL head coach (72-44-17), the second highest in franchise history. Among active NHL coaches, Granato ranks fifth in career winning percentage behind Bruce Boudreau (.664), Dave Tippett (.632), Randy Carlyle (.630) and Mike Babcock (.621).

“We’re extremely pleased to announce Tony Granato as the Avalanche’s head coach,” said Giguere. “Tony has gained tremendous coaching experience over the last five seasons behind the Avalanche bench. He has great knowledge of our depth chart, a strong admiration for our players and really enjoys working with the organization’s young and talented group of athletes.”

Granato completed his fifth season behind the Avalanche bench in 2008, his sixth year overall with the organization. After joining the club as an assistant coach on June 18, 2002, Granato was introduced as the 11th head coach in franchise history on Dec. 18, 2002. He compiled a record of 72-33-17-11, which included a 32-11-4-4 stretch to close out the 2002-03 season with the franchise’s NHL record ninth consecutive division title. Granato reached the 50-win mark in 87 games, the 11th fastest mark in NHL history.

Click here to see Granato's career playing and coaching statistics

He returned to his position as assistant coach in 2005-06 and spent the last three years in that capacity.

“I’m excited about this challenge,” said Granato. “I know this team has a great mix of youth, experience, skill and speed. I’m looking forward to this new opportunity ahead.”

Regarded as a feisty, two-way winger, Granato enjoyed a playing career that spanned 13 seasons in the National Hockey League. He skated in 773 regular season games with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. During his tenure in the NHL, he posted 248 goals and 244 assists with 1,425 penalty minutes.

Originally drafted by the New York Rangers 120th overall in the 1982 Entry Draft, Tony spent a season and a half with the Rangers before being dealt to the Los Angeles Kings, where he played six and a half seasons, cracking the 30-goal barrier three times. He played his final five seasons with San Jose after signing with the Sharks as a free agent in 1996.

Granato was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1989, played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1997, and won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, given for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, in 1997.

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Granato played four years at the University of Wisconsin, where he was named to the WCHA Second All-Star Team for 1985 and 1987 and to the NCAA West Second All-Star Team in the same years. He was inducted into the University of Wisconsin’s Hall of Fame. Granato was also a member of the 1988 U.S. National and Olympic hockey teams.

A native of Downer’s Grove, Illinois, Granato and his wife, Linda, have four children: Michael, Dominic, Nicholas, and Gabriella. Tony’s sister, Cammi, served as captain of the gold medal winning U.S. Women’s National Hockey team at the 1998 Olympics and was a silver medalist in Salt Lake City in 2002.
that's really cool. i like him, i like his daughter, good stuff. should be interesting next year.

Re: Q fired again...

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My Dad's actually become buddies with him as they work out at the same health club. As you would imagine, he has nothing but good things to say about him, a real down-to-earth and nice guy. If they make some good moves on the roster he should be o.k.
"I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. . . . I'm not a schemer. I just do things."