Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will remain behind while his team travels for their next two road contests after suffering facial fractures and a corneal abrasion when struck by a puck during Saturday’s 3-2 overtime defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 54-year-old coach will be absent from the bench when Colorado faces Calgary on Monday and Edmonton on Tuesday. The injury occurred early in the third period when a puck deflected off Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar’s stick and struck Bednar in the face.
During Bednar’s absence, assistant coaches Dave Hakstol and Nolan Pratt will take charge of the team’s operations for the upcoming road swing.
Since taking the helm of the Avalanche a decade ago, Bednar has compiled a coaching record of 442 wins, 262 losses, and 75 overtime/shootout losses, achieving a .616 winning percentage. His most notable achievement came in 2022 when he guided the franchise to a Stanley Cup championship.
