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DENVER — New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy stepped onto the ice at Ball Area and briefly glanced towards the rafters.
Yep, his acquainted No. 33 was nonetheless up there with all the opposite banners representing retired Colorado Avalanche numbers.
Being again on the town for Roy introduced again recollections of serving to Colorado win two Stanley Cup titles as a goaltender. It additionally made him mirror on the bitter finish, when he abruptly resigned as Avalanche coach two months earlier than the beginning of the NHL 2016-17 common season.
“A number of good recollections,” Roy stated Monday after observe and hours earlier than his first sport towards his former staff as coach of the Islanders. “That is the best way I wish to take a look at it.”
Roy has no regrets over how he dealt with the state of affairs even because it took greater than seven years to land one other NHL head teaching job. It simply made him extra appreciative returning to the bench final January when he took over for Lane Lambert.
“I am in a significantly better place right this moment than I used to be then, extra respect for the place, extra appreciation for being again within the league,” stated Roy, who went 20-12-5 final season to information the Islanders into the playoffs. “On the identical time, issues went effectively for the Avs.”
Particularly for Jared Bednar, who was employed as coach after Roy’s departure. It was a tough first season below Bednar because the Avalanche went 22-56-4 in ’16-17. 5 years later, the Avalanche have been hoisting the Stanley Cup.
“I most likely owe him an enormous hug and a steak dinner,” Bednar stated of Roy. “Everybody does what’s proper for them personally, however for me, it simply opened a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.”
After the Avalanche gained the Stanley Cup in 2022, Roy texted longtime teammate and Avalanche president Joe Sakic to inform him how proud he was.
“I used to be blissful for them,” Roy stated. “While you play right here for these years, and the reference to the followers and the chance to put on that jersey evening after evening, it is one thing that we put quite a lot of delight in.”
Being again within the Mile Excessive Metropolis, Roy could not assist however take into consideration Colorado common supervisor Pierre Lacroix, who died in 2020. Lacroix was as soon as Roy’s agent and after Lacroix arrived in Denver helped orchestrate a commerce with Montreal that introduced Roy to city.
“He is the one which gave me my probability,” Roy stated. “So clearly, I am all the time going to have a thought for him.”
Roy gained 551 video games over his Corridor of Fame goaltending profession with Montreal and Colorado. He captured three Vezina trophies and was a part of 4 Stanley Cup groups between the Canadiens (1986, 1993) and Avalanche (1996, 2001).
The 59-year-old Roy was employed as coach by Colorado in 2013 to show across the staff. He propelled the Avalanche into the playoffs his first season and with a rookie named Nathan MacKinnon. After two extra seasons, Roy abruptly stepped down. On the time, Sakic contended the staff’s lack of success performed into Roy’s resolution to depart.
“Up to now, I might take issues as a right,” Roy defined Monday. “Typically it is good to place your ego apart and perceive that it is a privilege teaching on this league. On daily basis you could put the work (in), you attempt to be taught new issues. I believe that is what I have been doing so much higher than I used to be doing then.”
He is treating this as simply one other sport. Identical method as final season towards Montreal.
“I all the time have the Avs in my coronary heart. Identical factor with Montreal,” Roy stated. “I had nice recollections over these 11 years that I used to be concerned with the (Avalanche) group. I am grateful for it.”
