Earlier this week, the Colorado Avalanche confirmed something we all knew: Joe Sakic is the team’s GM now and for the foreseeable future.
And the way things turned out for the Avs, they’re so lucky they didn’t go the same path the Detroit Red Wings did.
The Wings named assistant GM Shawn Horcoff their interim GM after months of just stalling and wasting time.
Horcoff could have taken over two months ago, seemingly right after Steve Yzerman left the chair empty.
But they didn’t. The organization let the clock run without actually doing anything to solve the issue. Meanwhile, the problems piled up. There is the Dylan Larkin situation that has become the talk of the league. There is a top-tier, unsigned defenseman named Simon Edvinsson just waiting for someone to hand him a new contract.
All of that mess, the uncertainty, and the bad rap are things that the Avalanche could have walked into. But they didn’t. They handled things in such a way that it almost makes it seem like Joe Sakic is actually Joe “Psychic”.
MacFarland’s departure could have thrown the Avalanche into chaos
When Chris MacFarland emerged as the guy for the Nashville Predators, the Avs didn’t have much of a choice. They could have tried to retain him, but that would not have really helped the organization.
In fact, Colorado did the classy thing by allowing MacFarland to get the promotion he deserved, particularly since he wouldn’t have gotten it with the Avalanche.
Then, Sakic stepped up and took over. He navigated the offseason and helped engineer the biggest contract in NHL history.
Imagine what would have happened if Sakic hadn’t stepped up.
The team would not have made the moves that it did. And, most importantly, Makar would not likely have signed.
That situation would have plunged the Avs into utter chaos, leaving the team rife with uncertainty moving forward.
Now, there is no question that the Avalanche are in good hands. That’s all because they sidestepped what could have been one of the most complicated ordeals in franchise history.
Colorado had one advantage Detroit didn’t have
All told, the Avalanche had one advantage that the Red Wings didn’t.
When Detroit let Yzerman go, they didn’t have anyone who could have stepped in the way Sakic did in MacFarland’s place.
Yes, the Wings have Horcoff. But it wasn’t like having an experienced executive step in and take over the reins.
If Detroit had someone like that, they probably would not be in the mess they are today.
Thank goodness for Joe Sakic. Let’s see if his second stint in the GM chair is just as successful as his first one.
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