The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has extended the contract of head coach Joe Sacco for two years through the 2013-14 season.
“Joe has earned the opportunity to lead this young team,” said Avalanche General Manager/Executive Vice President Greg Sherman. “Our club made significant strides this season and we look forward to continuing that next season.”
“Our team competed hard and battled all year long,” said Sacco of the 2011-12 Avalanche. “This group had a lot of energy and they are eager to keep working hard and improving.”
In all seriousness, Sacco was able to make the cheapest and youngest team competitive. Another thing to think about- how many better options are out there at the moment? And one last thing to remember, team. Just because Sacco was given an extension does NOT mean he cannot be fired. I hope like heck his leash is short.
In all seriousness, Sacco was able to make the cheapest and youngest team competitive. Another thing to think about- how many better options are out there at the moment? And one last thing to remember, team. Just because Sacco was given an extension does NOT mean he cannot be fired. I hope like heck his leash is short.
I am ok with this.
If they wanted to keep him on a short leash, they should have given him a one year to prove himself. Not two years.
It's not like teams would have been lining up to hire Sacco if he refused to agree to a one year deal.
If they wanted to keep him on a short leash, they should have given him a one year to prove himself. Not two years.
It's not like teams would have been lining up to hire Sacco if he refused to agree to a one year deal.
Who knows. Honestly, with how young this team is, it is hard (for me, at least) to judge the coach. Some nights it looks like Sacco is coaching blindly, while other nights the players look like the blind ones. Chalk it up to youth, inconsistency, whatever- I think it was the right call to bring him back for another season. 2 years? Eh, who knows the motive behind that.
Two years really surprises me. I doubt the Avs will fire him prior to the end of his contract, no matter how poorly the team performs. It would cost money to payout Sacco and hire a new coach.
Another aspect is that Sacco likely makes very little money as a head coach, and he will not rock the boat and question organizational practices.
You can't give a coach a 1 year contract. It would completely ruin his authority over the team. A 1 year contract says you will be back, but if you start 0-4 you are gone. A team could easily turn on a coach in a situation like that. With two years, if you have to fire him after year 1 or midway through the season, you are only paying out one extra year.
In all seriousness, Sacco was able to make the cheapest and youngest team competitive. Another thing to think about- how many better options are out there at the moment? And one last thing to remember, team. Just because Sacco was given an extension does NOT mean he cannot be fired. I hope like heck his leash is short.
I am ok with this.
Can honestly say I'm surprised. A rare bad move from Shermy.
Sacco was able to do anything. Cheapest/youngest team should have made the playoffs if their best players were playing well. The avs aren't a bunch of scrubs and Sacco's genius took them this far.
I could name 100 better options than Sacco and that's just the ones that post on HF.
A 2 year deal doesn't seem to me that he's on a short leash at all.
We miss playoffs, we got no first round pick and Sacco gets a new contract. The only thing that would have made this season any worse would have been handing Washington a lottery pick...
I was upset about Manchester United losing tonight but Sacco getting a 2 year contract is way worse than that, it's 2 more Avs seasons flushed down the toilet.
All the respect that Sherman and Co has earned over making solid trades over the past couple of season is wiped out in the eyes of the HF posters
No, I still like Sherman. I just don't understand why they're sticking with a mediocre coach instead of at least waiting to see who else might be available.
