Landeskog likes look of Bednar’s systems
Captain thinks faster play will benefit team
Avalanche left wing Gabe Landeskog acknowledged Thursday that he was pleased to learn he will remain captain and that new coach Jared Bednar represents change from something that wasn’t working.
Landeskog, who is preparing for his sixth NHL season, and fellow Swede Carl Soderberg practiced under Bednar for the first time Thursday. Both were given a couple days off after Sweden was eliminated from the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.
“It needs to be said that I respected Patty on and off the ice and I enjoyed working with him for three years,” Landeskog said about former coach Patrick Roy, who abruptly resigned Aug. 11 after two nonplayoff seasons. “But I’m really exited about having Jared here. It feels like he brings in a lot of fresh air and comes in with a lot of optimism about this group. It feels like he believes in us.”
Under Roy, the Avs played too much in their own zone. Shots-against average was among the league’s highest, which limited time in the offensive zone.
Bednar wants to push the pace with a north-south breakout that doesn’t allow the puck going backward.
“He wants to play fast. He wants to play quick and play in the O-zone and get on the forecheck,” Landeskog said. “With our speed up front, I think it will benefit us. Spending less time in the D-zone will be something we’ll all be looking to do.”
He added: “The systems are going to work to our advantage.”
Landeskog and Soderberg met with Bednar at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday before Colorado beat the Dallas Stars to improve to 2-0 in the preseason. Landeskog, 23, will serve as captain under a third head coach with the Avs. He was named captain in 2012 by Joe Sacco.
“Every coach has their right to do their thing and to change things up if they want,” Landeskog said. “But as of right now I’m happy where I’m at and I’m happy with where my relationship with Jared is at so far — even though it’s really early. But definitely looking forward to working with him and taking this group quite a few steps forward.”
The Avalanche continues to have two morning practice sessions on nongame days. The drills are of the end-to-end variety with little rest.
“Without absolutely just bag-skating us, I think he did a great job of keeping the pace up high and really making sure everybody was crisp,” Landeskog said of Thursday’s practice.
The Avalanche hosts the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night at the Pepsi Center. Landeskog and Soderberg won’t play but Bednar said he will have USA defenseman Erik Johnson and Team North American forward Nathan MacKinnon in the lineup. Veteran goalie Semyon Varlamov will start in net.
Footnote.
The Avs reassigned seven players Thursday to trim their training camp roster to 44. Forward J.C. Beaudin and defenseman Nicolas Meloche were sent back to their junior teams in the Quebec League and goalies Nathan Lieuwen and Kent Simpson, along with forward Shawn St. Amant, were reassigned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League. Center Reid Petryk (foot) and defenseman Mason Geertsen (hand) were sent to San Antonio for injury rehab assignment.