The Gospel According to Patrick Roy: Berra and Minny

Colorado Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy is many things — brilliant, confident, even arrogant. What he is not? Boring or uninformative. Every Thursday coach Roy joins the radio hosts of The Fan 104.3, and he always discusses all things Avalanche. This Thursday, Roy talked about back up goalie Reto Berra, energy player Cody McLeod and the Minnesota Wild.

On Reto Berra…

There’s going to be a big (goalie) competition in next years’ training camp, and I will keep the one that plays the best.” – Patrick Roy

Coach Roy didn’t exactly drop any news bombs when he remarked that he didn’t have confidence in putting Berra into a big game like the one against the LA Kings. After 15 minutes of play, that’s exactly what Roy did because rookie

Calvin Pickard

had allowed three goals on shots (he also didn’t get a lot of support, though). However, Roy has been adamant most of the season that Berra has to earn his spot by “working extremely hard.”

Coach Roy also gave some news that may both delight and alarm Avalanche fans. At next season’s training camp, he’s going to hold a competition between Berra and Pickard for the back up goalie position. Avalanche fans can be delighted that Berra will not automatically be Varlamov’s back up. However, that does mean that Berra will likely be around after the summer — many Avalanche fans are hoping for a summertime trade that unloads Berra.

My take: Reto Berra is in no way awful. I watched his performance at the Olympics last season, which prompted me to watch a few Calgary Flames games in which Berra was goal tending. The goalie I saw in Sochi and playing for the Flames is not the goalie playing for the Avalanche most of the time. I think he has no confidence on this team, and that’s death for a goalie, especially one that faces as many shots as Avs goalies do.

I’d like to see Berra traded for his own sake, giving him a fresh start on a new team.

On the Minnesota Wild…

As much respect as Roy has for McLeod is how little he has for the Minnesota Wild.

“I think when we scored that goal, we all looked at their bench at (Zach) Parise and said ‘Take this, my friend’.” – Patrick Roy

His disdain for the Wild stems from their cockiness. He doesn’t like the players’ cocky commentary, the media’s cocky coverage and the fans’ cocky boastfulness.

He remarked on the fact that the Avalanche went 4-0-1 against the Wild last season and remained “very humble” despite all their success. He also remarked that, though losing Tyson Barrie possibly cost them the playoff series against the Wild, they were “low key” about that, too. Indeed, Roy said at the time that the NHL would take care of Matt Cooke (who kneed Barrie illegally, causing the injury), and their only “revenge” would be winning.

After the loss on February 28, Minnesota forward Zach Parise commented on the roughness of the play that he’d be frustrated, too, if he hadn’t scored a goal against a team all season except on a “dump in” play. Coach Roy said he had no problem with Parise’s making comments except, “You don’t need to be cocky against us.”

Concerning Minnesota Star Tribune writer Michael Russo’s anti-McLeod comments, Roy felt they were bordering on libel. He suggested Russo might have to hire a lawyer in case McLeod got injured and it could be seen as an extension of his article.

He also remarked that it was too soon to say the Avalanche have a rivalry with the Wild:

“I look at them, they act like they have four Stanley Cups, and they’ve been in the Conference [Finals] five or six times, but last time I checked they haven’t won a Stanley Cup, and they have been in the Conference Finals one time. All they have is a Division Championship to show for it. So, it may be too early for [rivalry talk].”

My take: Patrick said it best. I hate the Wild, but truthfully, it’s more contempt that anything. I have no respect for them whatsoever. I have met a few of their fans who are decent, but they seem to be in the minority.

So, as always, Patrick Roy has illuminated the Avs Nation on all things Avalanche.

Next: TBT: Roy vs Brodeur

Next: Roy Commands Respect Over Mike Yeo

Next: The Cult of Patrick Roy

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