Why and how Joe Sakic loves to convert on-ice talent to front office assets.

As President of Hockey Operations, Joe Sakic has a vision. It is one of a team built on shared history, and a knowledge of what it takes to hoist the NHL’s top prize. It was in keeping with that tradition that the Colorado Avalanche announced the official hiring of Andrew Cogliano and Pavel Francouz this week.

Both men were key pieces to the 2022 championship roster. The ways their respective careers closed were quite different. But the organization knew they loved having them around. Keeping them in the fold in some capacity seemed to be an easy decisions on both counts.

Andrew Cogliano was acquired by Colorado in the 2021-22 season near the deadline. He was an important glue-guy in the run up to the aforementioned Stanley Cup victory. In the seasons since, Cogs has been regarded as an ironman for his grit. Upon his retirement, I was shocked to learn he had only missed 27 games in a total of 17 NHL seasons. This fact is all the more incredible if you remember that he literally had his neck broken in the 2022-23 post-season against Seattle.

Cogliano was never afraid to sacrifice his body for the team. This past year, I distinctly remember him blocking a shot in the waning seconds of a 5-0 game against Chicago. He did that to preserve the shutout for young backup goalie Justus Annunen.

In his new title as a Special Assistant to the GM, Cogliano will preform a variety of duties. But in both scouting and one-on-one interactions with prospects, I expect he should excel. He may have never been top-level star player, but Cogs knows what it takes to stick to an NHL lineup.

Pavel Francouz is somewhat of a different story. His career was unfortunately cut short, due to injury. Francouz was maybe the biggest unsung-hero of the 2022 champs. On the way to the Stanley Cup, Frankie went 6-0 and posted a .906 save percentage. Without that clutch performance in relief of an injured Darcy Kuemper, the Avalanche might not have won at all.

The plan for Francouz to stay with the Avs in some capacity seems to have been hatched mid-season. Apparently, Craig Billington and Peter Budaj have both had talks with Francouz about developing his role. As of now, he is officially serving as a Goaltending Scout. But I could see his duties growing rather quickly.

Craig Billington and Peter Budaj are both former Avalanche backup goalies who transitioned into off-ice work for the team. Budaj has been more focused on coaching duties and Billington has been more frequently tapped for executive assignments.

Billington has worked at both AHL and NHL levels for Colorado since 2003. Starting Frankie out in comfortable role as a scout makes perfect sense. It might even help explain part of why Colorado went so goalie-heavy in the Draft a few weeks ago.

By all accounts the Avalanche are very excited for their top-pick Ilya Nabokov. But when they proceeded to select two more goalies, it left many observers curious, myself included. Goalies are usually good trade-bait. Still, it would seem that the team is intent on giving Francouz plenty to do.

I could definitely see a more hands-on role for Francouz as well. With the news that Peter Budaj is moving on to a job with the Ducks, there is now a bit of a vacancy in coaching down with the Colorado Eagles. Budaj’s biggest success in developing a young goalie is Justus Annunen, who will see an expanded workload next year.

To make matters even more interesting, there are further rumblings that another ex-Avalanche player may be coming home.

Hearing from an extremely reliable source that THE Dan Hinote is potentially coming home to Avs organization and working with the @ColoradoEagles

Would be an awesome addition to that coaching staff and no one bled Burgundy and Blue like this guy. @AlumniColorado

— John-Michael Liles (@hoosierjm26) July 10, 2024

Now, this is just a rumor. But given that it was shared by John-Michael Liles, yet another proud Avs alum and Stanley Cup winner, there could be more than smoke to this fire.

Dan Hinote was fan-favorite in his four seasons with the Avalanche. Much like Cogliano, he was part of a championship team in his first year. In his case, that was Colorado’s second Cup, in 2001. He was also a bottom-six grinder who played with immense heart. Bringing Hinote back to the organization would be pretty sweet.

Previously, Hinote has been an Assistant Coach for both Columbus and Nashville. It might be seen as a step down for a coach if he joins the Eagles staff, but in my opinion, it would only be a credit to Colorado if he did make the move. Sure, it could be motivated by nostalgia, but the pull of a winning-culture is powerful.

The tradition of hiring former Avalanche players to work front office jobs is clearly an important one for Colorado. Nobody exemplifies that better than Joe Sakic himself. Super Joe led the Avalanche to their first two Stanley Cups as Captain. He joined the executive staff in 2011-2012, then as a nebulously-defined Senior Advisor.

Sakic has shown a strong desire to work with former teammates from the very beginning. Joe was already in place, and instrumental in the push to hire Patrick Roy as Head Coach in 2013. That was a bit of a boom and bust experience for the Avs on the ice. In Roy’s first season, the Avalanche earned the one-seed in the West. In his final two, they missed the playoffs entirely.

Avalanche fans know that saga well and it might hurt to re-hash in detail. But whatever opinion you may hold of that period, does not take away from Roy’s place in franchise history. We should be thankful however, that it did not sour Sakic on his job.

In fact, it may have been rather instructive for Sakic. He still obviously believes in a method of team-building that values past relationships in a major way. I will always support giving former players a chance.

If this hiring trend continues with the Avalanche, I only have one question: what is the limit on the number of Special Assistants that the NHL allows? As far as I can tell there is no rule regulating the size of team staffs.

As for who is next in line, on the current roster, I think it would clearly be Gabe Landeskog. Injury history or not, the front office loves him. Heck, these past two seasons have more or less been training for a coaching position. Knowing Joe Sakic, he may already be prepping his own successor.