Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar makes practice fun
The Avalanche earned a lighter, fun practice having won five of their last six games and the team seemed to enjoy the more relaxed routine.
The Colorado Avalanche are feeling good having won five of their last six games and it showed on the ice at an almost full attendance practice on Wednesday.
Ryan Johansen was the only absentee because he was "under the weather," according to head coach Jared Bednar. Artturi Lehkonen participated with the team in a red non-contact jersey. He is about eight weeks into his 10-12 week projected rehabilitation.
While some day-after-loss practices can be brutal, this event was opposite. It was all smiles and those in attendance could feel the positivity throughout the team.
Bednar has spoken about the importance of understanding his players — when they need time off, when they need direction, when they need to be left alone, etc. But for a group of 22 men playing a sport they love, it was a mutual understanding between coach and players to enjoy a lighthearted practice.
Most Avalanche players have said Bednar is a "player's coach" and that he's relatable and approachable. That was evident on Wednesday at Family Sports Center.
"It's good to have a coach that listens to his players or gets the feedback from his players and does something with that," Jonathan Drouin told The Hockey News' Colleen Flynn in late November. "I think it's great. Everyone's different so it's hard for a coach to single out everyone and make sure everyone's ok. We're all different a little bit."
At one point, Miles Wood fired a puck that Bednar ended up slipping on which drew all kinds of laughs, coach included. Then Bowen Byram put on a show falling to the ice after missing a shot. There was lots of good chirping which is a positive sign for a team hungry for another Stanley Cup.
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