Avalanche won't renew coach Joel Quenneville's contract

The Associated Press
Published: May 9, 2008

DENVER: Joel Quenneville is out as coach of the Avalanche after three seasons, a week after Colorado was swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings.

Quenneville was 131-92-23 in Denver, but just 2-2 in playoff series after inheriting a team that was slipping after a decade of dominance in the NHL.

"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 and general manager Francois Giguere.

Giguere doesn't have a timeline for when he'll hire a new coach, but he does have one requirement — an up-tempo philosophy. He wants the Avalanche to play with more speed.

"We've always been an organization that's been a puck possession, upbeat, high tempo, high energy, attacking (team)," Giguere said. "That's the way the Avalanche have always played and I think that's the way I foresee this team continuing to play."

Quenneville was an assistant with the Avalanche during their Stanley Cup run in 1996, then was hired away by St. Louis. He spent eight seasons with the Blues, becoming the team's winningest coach with 307 victories. In 2004, Quenneville became the fourth coach in Avalanche history.

Quenneville was a defenseman in the NHL for 13 seasons, including a stint with the former Colorado Rockies. He also played for Washington, New Jersey, Toronto and the former Hartford Whalers.

Quenneville coached his 800th game this season, joining Bob Pulford and Jacques Lemaire as the only coaches in NHL history to both play and coach in 800 or more games.

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