DENVER • Bear with me for a moment, this gets a little confusing.

The Colorado Avalanche just brought back a coach in Tony Granato who wasn’t good enough to keep the head coaching job in 2004 though he had the best winning percentage, .647 (72-33-17-11), of any Avalanche coach.

At first thought, maybe that’s cool. Maybe Granato went away and gained an immense amount of experience, the kind of experience that would make that winning percentage better.

But that’s not the case. Granato didn’t go anywhere. He has been on the Avalanche bench standing a few feet away from recently removed head coach Joel Quenneville since the start of the 2005-06 season.

Stay with me here.

If Granato didn’t leave, then maybe you’re thinking he must have done something amazing for the Avalanche through the past few seasons. But that’s not the case either. The power play was one of Granato’s responsibilities, and at a 14.6 percent success rate, it was 28th in the league last season.

“As a staff we were all responsible for it,” Granato said Thursday. “So, I can accept some responsibility for it. It was certainly an area of the team that we thought would perform a lot better. It’s certainly an area of emphasis this summer to make sure we start in the right direction next year. Special teams are always a big factor on how your team performs.”

So, here it is. The Avalanche promoted an assistant, who was the franchise’s winningest coach by percentage, back to coach, taking over for the guy who took over for him even though as an assistant the new “old” head coach didn’t do anything spectacular.

I don’t get it.

“The advantage I have is when I came in, I didn’t know Tony,” Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said. “I base my decision on the two years of experience I’ve had with him. … I’m convinced today that Tony is the best for this franchise.”

There’s one obvious question concerning the coaching matter: What makes anybody think life with Granato will be different this time? He had a loaded team last time, and it was younger.

Those teams made the playoffs only to finish 7-9, including blowing a 3-1 lead to the Minnesota Wild. If you remember, that was the series the Wild decided it would beat up the Avalanche’s stars. And for some reason the Avalanche failed – not to get as physical with the Wild – but to protect its stars.

The Wild’s 2003 series victory had to be one of the biggest upsets in NHL history. Granato has to take much of the blame for that.

Maybe things have changed. Maybe Granato has changed.

“I know this team very well,” Granato said. “I know what it takes to motivate the players. I love the way this team is being built. I’m excited for the opportunity.”

Then came the scary part.

“I’m going to be myself, the same guy I always was,” Granato said. “I’m going to allow the players to be the best players they can be. I’m going to provide the environment that allows them to do that.”

So, he’s going to be the same guy he always was?

That can’t be good. The guy Granato always was wasn’t good enough to keep his job.

We’re to believe the guy Granato always was, the guy who lost his job, is going to be good enough now?

I don’t get it.

Theresa J. Farney Photo by