Avalanche hire Jared Bednar to replace Patrick Roy as coach

The Colorado Avalanchehave hired Jared Bednar, former coach of the American Hockey League champion Lake Erie Monsters, to replace Patrick Roy as head coach of the Avalanche, the team announced Thursday.

Roy, the Hall of Fame netminder, abruptly quit as Avalanche head coach and vice president of hockey operations two weeks ago, sending the team on a late-summer quest to fill the vacancy.

Roy cited a disconnect between he and management over his roles.

The 44-year-old Bednar never played in the NHL, but he has been coaching at the minor pro level since 2002 after the defenseman ended his playing career.

Last season was just Bednar's fourth as a head coach at the AHL level. The native of Yorkton, Saskatchewan, was an assistant in the AHL for three other seasons.He also won the ECHL's Kelly Cup in 2009 with the South Carolina Stingrays.