Granato is excited to get second chance

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 10:11 a.m., May 22, 2008
Updated 09:16 p.m., May 23, 2008

David Zalubowski © Associated Press

Tony Granato was named the new coach of the Avalanche on Thursday, he replaces Joel Quenneville, who replaced Granato four years ago.

Tony Granato was a Western Conference All-Star in 1997.

Back to the future . . . again.

Three months after putting Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg in Avalanche uniforms for the second time, general manager Francois Giguere has put the finishing touches on yet another sequel.

Tony Granato, who replaced Bob Hartley as coach 31 games into the 2002-03 season and subsequently was replaced by Joel Quenneville in July 2004, has come full circle and will succeed Quenneville.

An Avalanche assistant the past three seasons, Granato signed a multiyear contract late Wednesday night and needed to make a hasty exit from his son Michael's Cherry Creek High School graduation ceremony Thursday to attend a news conference at the Pepsi Center.

Quenneville, who was hired by then-general manager Pierre Lacroix, agreed to part with the Avalanche on May 9, Giguere said at the time, because of unspecified "philosophical differences."

Yet Granato, whose 72-33-17-11 regular-season record and .647 winning percentage in his first stint as coach is the best in franchise history, said not to expect much in the way of drastic changes in the Avalanche's style of play.

"Every coach, no matter who you are, has different ideas on how to run different plays, how you run different systems, who you put on the ice at different times," said Granato, 43, who remains friendly with Quenneville. "So maybe that's where philosophical differences come into play.

"But the structure that we have and our identity always has been to put a product on the ice that is exciting and allows our skill players to play. I don't think there'll be a whole lot of changes that way.

"I think that my energy and the passion that I bring to the game will be contagious. I've worked with most of these guys for a long time and I think I have a pretty good idea of how to set the expectations and how to get the most out of them."

Giguere wouldn't discuss any other candidates he might have considered, only saying Granato was on his original list and his name "just kept coming back" to him as he went through the process.

"He's energetic, he's passionate, he's caring about our players, he's hardworking and he's a smart hockey person," Giguere said. "I was very impressed with the two years that we worked together. He has experience as an NHL coach, he's been successful as an NHL coach, so I just thought he was the best candidate.

"We met for a couple of hours on numerous occasions. In sitting down and talking, you just get to a point where you know it's the right decision. It's kind of a feeling you have inside you. It's a little bit like when you choose your wife. In some ways, it's like a marriage.

"I'm happy because I'm confident that I have the right guy. There were a lot of good candidates that are qualified to do the job. For this team, I believe that Tony was the right one."

Granato said his first talks with Giguere took place within days of Quenneville's departure.

"I didn't expect the position to become available this fast as head coach, but when it did and Francois asked me if I was interested in being the head coach, I was excited and I jumped at the opportunity and went through the interview process and I'm very glad it worked out," he said.

Granato said assistants Jacques Cloutier and Jeff Hackett "remain on staff" and another eventually would be hired.

The Avalanche scored 231 goals in the regular season - tied with Los Angeles for the fifth most in the Western Conference - but its power play (14.6 percent) was the third worst in the 30-team NHL and dead last on the road (11.6 percent).

"As a staff, we all were responsible for it, so I can accept some responsibility for it," Granato said. "Certainly, it's an area of the team that we thought would perform a lot better. That's certainly an area of emphasis this summer, to make sure we start in the right direction next year."

The Avalanche also needs to improve on recent playoff performances. It hasn't advanced beyond the second round since 2002 and was swept by Detroit in this year's conference semifinals.

The Avalanche went 9-9 in the playoffs under Granato, losing to Minnesota in the first round in 2003 after taking a 3-1 series lead and falling to San Jose in six games in the second round in 2004 after defeating Dallas in five games in the opening round.

"In the hockey world, you try and get better every day," Granato said. "It's the same thing of what I expect from our team next year. Everybody in their profession wants to be better the next time or the next day around. That's the way I feel. I'm confident, I'm excited about this opportunity and I'm ready for it."

• May 22, 2008

  10:28 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Ashley writes:

  Well, that wasn't very creative, now was it? Good luck Tony, I think you'll be needing it. But I'll still be around to watch.

• May 22, 2008

  10:30 a.m.

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  bhaney01 writes:

  I guess Pat Burns and Kevin Dineen were either not available or not interested. Hope everyone enjoys mediocre hockey, because Avalanche fans are about to receive a healthy dose of it. Good luck, Tony.

• May 22, 2008

  10:39 a.m.

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  T1anda writes:

  Ohhhh noooo!!!! Not again!!!! I have never been a Q fan. I don't think Granato could have learned that much from Q anyway!!

  Yikes!!

• May 22, 2008

  10:47 a.m.

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  jacka writes:

  Good move

• May 22, 2008

  10:50 a.m.

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  twofistedmario writes:

  You have got to be f-----g kidding me.

• May 22, 2008

  11:04 a.m.

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  SE7EN writes:

  Awesome! I have an idea. Let's see if we can get Selanne and Kariya to come back...while we're at it, let's give Theo another 6 million dollar contract.

  Way to go Avs... makes me sick.

• May 22, 2008

  11:16 a.m.

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  jrcart writes:

  Um, I'm hoping he's spent these years watching and learning from Quenneville.... if not... well... we'll probably be looking for another coach in 2 years time. Ugh.

• May 22, 2008

  11:58 a.m.

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  Firefox writes:

  Wow not very creative, this team just refuses to turn the page!

• May 22, 2008

  12:15 p.m.

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  SirRealist writes:

  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

  What the blue blazes are you thinking Avs??????? You got rid of Granato for A REASON - you chowder heads!! What is the matter with you???

  Two or three excellent head coach prospects out there, and you pick Granato - I could just barf.

• May 22, 2008

  12:27 p.m.

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  kaiserD writes:

  wow, look at you all get your collective panties in a bunch! typical cliched and obvious responses from perpetual whiny hater-types. tonyG could turn out to be an excellent coach- give him a chance... last time around he wasn't too shabby, considering his inexperience. now it's 4 years later and i think this is a great move. freakin' simma down...

• May 22, 2008

  12:51 p.m.

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  ochis writes:

  I like the move. Tony G has been nothing but class during his time here with the Avs. Instead of just leaving for another opportunity when he was demoted, he sucked it up and paid his dues again. Congratulations Tony. I'll be watching and not criticizing your every move.

• May 22, 2008

  1:09 p.m.

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  BWilliams writes:

  Let me see if I understand. The Avs front office demoted Granato to get more training under Q. Then they fire Q because they didn't like Q's style. Now, they promote the guy who just got 3 years experience under Q's system?

  This decision reeks of the Lacroix's sentimentality towards his past decisions. Its totally lame and I'm starting to get very worried about this franchise.

• May 22, 2008

  1:20 p.m.

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  Spidey writes:

  Shoulda have went for Scotty Bowman heh

• May 22, 2008

  1:48 p.m.

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  farsidefan writes:

  Man, talk about letting the fans down. Francois had him in mind all along. What a poor choice. I don't think he has much of a presence either behind the bench or in the locker room.
  I bet more than a few players are rolling their eyes.

• May 22, 2008

  2:08 p.m.

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  CaptainObvious writes:

  Good call ochis--he took his demotion like a man. He's a classy guy. I am optimistic for the next season. Now, what about Sakic, Foote, and foot?

• May 22, 2008

  2:11 p.m.

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  Mike1969 writes:

  Good Move. Tony had already proven himself, then stuck around as assistant under Q which must have been hard to swallow. I think we would have had a cup this year if we had been healthy against Detroit. (Which obviously wasn't one of things that was Q's fault)I hope the first thing Tony does is hires a crack medical staff including a strength and conditioning expert ...and a faith healer!

• May 22, 2008

  2:20 p.m.

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  RoxForBrains writes:

  How underwhelming. Was hoping maybe Hartley would get the callback.

• May 22, 2008

  2:47 p.m.

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  tjason11 writes:

  The NHL should make this franchise move back to Quebec. What a horrible move. Next thing you will read is that they have shelled out $6M/year for Forsberg. Have fun guys.

  BTW, he didn't take the demotion like a man. He stuck around because no one else wanted him.

• May 22, 2008

  2:48 p.m.

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  max12 writes:

  If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got....Mediocre hockey from Granaot

• May 22, 2008

  3:03 p.m.

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  hawaiianjefe writes:

  Haha, I love how all of you are hockey experts...especially you tjason...turns out you have no idea if he got fired or if he stepped down anyway..and there's no way you could 'know' otherwise because nobody knows.
  But here is what's up...he did a great job...the stats don't lie..and his personality is unrivaled to anyone in the sport. He is a great leader and from watching him around the club you can tell that everyone on the team and on the staff has an unbelievable respect for him. Great move Avs, I look forward to seeing another successful year next year!

• May 22, 2008

  4:56 p.m.

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  jtriska writes:

  Umm.....hawaiianjefe,

  You think being 7th seed and barely making it into the playoffs, then getting swept in the second round is a successful year????
  Are you the one helping make the decisions for the Avs or what?

• May 22, 2008

  5:44 p.m.

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  twofistedmario writes:

  For you people defending the Avs' decision to go with Granato - do you not remember his non-chalant, apathetic attitude in his press conference right after the Wild battled back from a 3-1 deficit to force a Game 7 in the 2003 Playoffs?

• May 22, 2008

  6:23 p.m.

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  GJrodburner writes:

  We'll know within the first 10 games of the upcoming season as to whether or not Tony G. should have been given the keys to the store. Mind you, he has only one key and that key is for "coach". I really don't like the move; and yes it is true he stuck with the Aves, didn't whine, didn't pout, and didn't become a distraction...he just spent the last three years earning a living as an assistant coach. For that I realize he has chutzpah, but there were several coaches available that have a pedigree that is miles ahead of Tony G. If he can pull it off, wonderful. I just won't hold my breathe.

  I don't know if players need to hate a coach first before they can like him, but I do know how the other side of that coin looks when the players all like you at first, then later rip you or underperform as the years progress. That is the memory I have of Tony G. the first time around...underperfomance of a very talented team that lost to the Wild after being up 3-1. Absolutely a very underwhelming choice by Gigs, and to be honest, a less than courageous move too.

• May 23, 2008

  midnight

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  IBleedOrange writes:

  Wow, I guess Kronke wants to spend his money on the Nuggets, where his heart really is. Granato had NO SHOT at becoming a head coach anywere, so you know he came cheap. And, Bye-bye Sackic. He's not going to want to toil for this no-hope of getting past the 2nd round fool. Sadly, this is what Avs fans will be stuck with until we get an owner who actually cares about hockey.

• May 23, 2008

  6:49 a.m.

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  jtriska writes:

  "It's nice as a player, especially when they take a guy from your own organization that everybody believes in. That's how Tony is. It's all positive. He's got the respect of every player. It's going to be good." ~ Laperriere

  I hope you are hungry Lappie cause these words are going to be tough to swallow. I'm keeping this quote and sending it back to you after next season. I hope you prove us hockey experts wrong, but the definition of insanity is doing things the same way over and over again but expecting different results.

• May 23, 2008

  11:35 a.m.

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  newshound writes:

  He had a better record than Coach Q, so why is this a bad move? Its not like there are tons of options out there. He is a great coach and with the right assistants, you all should expect to see a different style of hockey. And this team is young and talented. All the experience last year from the rookies will pay dividends this year.

• May 23, 2008

  12:30 p.m.

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  Kered writes:

  I think it's a great move, I'm glad to see Tony get a second shot at coaching the Avs!

• May 26, 2008

  10:15 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  GJrodburner writes:

  Newshound, your comments are why I'm holding out a glimmer of hope for this team next season. It is all new, even with Tony G. this time around; it could possibly be a different outcome for him and the team. But there were way better coaching candidates than Tony G. available, case in point Ted Nolan of the Islanders. Ted Nolan got canned in Buffalo, not for playing the race card, but by having the guts to call out ownership in not ponying up the cash in order to keep the better talent in Buffalo. He learned the hard way, and is keeping his cards close to the vest in Long Island, in regards to how Garth Snow and the current ownership of the Islanders is not putting out the cash to keep the up and coming talent, or how they are buying up older contracts of down and outers, and then saying they are putting the best team out there for Nolan to coach. Pure hogwash! Oddly enough there is a team that is definitely more dysfunctional than our own! Options are always available in coaching, and Nolan was just one of them.