The Avalanche have too much talent to be down 2-0 to Vegas in this playoff series and have won only one Stanley Cup in this era. It seems like we are always a little behind in the effort and physicality, sloppy and unorganized on the power play and lazy too often when clearing the zone. Yes, players need to play, but some of this is on the coaching of Jared Bednar.

– Coach Mo, speaking his truth

Kiz: Everybody loves Bedsy. I would enjoy grilling a steak with him at a barbecue. While not interested in having a drink with Sean Payton, I’d rather have him coach my pro sports team.

I love Bedsy, but is it too early to talk about a coaching change, assuming the Avs get bumped by the Knights? Vegas was a mess that needed a coaching change at the end of the regular season. How can the Knights win the Cup after only winning 39 games in the regular season?

– Kevin, Denver

Kiz: Coaching matters. Maybe not as much with X’s and O’s as fans might think. But a great coach finds a way to coax more from players than they thought possible. Since taking over the Vegas bench on March 30, John Tortorella has led the Knights to a 17-5 record. During the same time frame, the Avs are 15-6 under Bednar’s guidance. For nearly two months now, which coach has his team playing the most beyond expectations?

At this point, the consistent lack of playoff intensity has to belong to Bednar. He seems like a great guy, but his recent comments about not coaching effort and intensity are jarring given what we’ve seen from the Avs in the playoffs since they won the Cup in 2022.

– Steve, fed up to here

Kiz: Let’s hope all the apologists for Bednar are sitting down with a nice, stiff drink, because I’m going to repeat my long-standing truth, based on the fact I’ve closely chronicled the work of seven head coaches on the Colorado bench since 1995. Bednar is an average NHL coach blessed by the generational talents of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Bednar believes players take responsibility for establishing accountability in the locker room. That’s laudable. Far too often, however, even when the Colorado bandwagon veers off course, Bednar is a passenger. 

Bednar couldn’t motivate me to get off my couch. His monotone excuses and the oh-shucks-I-didn’t-like-the-way-we-played balderdash need to stop. He couldn’t even bring himself to say that Vegas’ top players are outplaying his top guys. Who on this team listens to Bednar? I would fall asleep when he speaks.

– A.T.L., Las Vegas

Kiz: Bednar is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, cheerful and clean. He’s an ideal leader of a Boy Scout troop. But these Avs too often sit on their talent, and could use a coach unafraid to give them a swift kick in the rump when needed.

And today’s parting shot is a coupon for a free dinner of crow, redeemable after the Avs hoist the Stanley Cup.

Bednar is a smart, respectful coach. When we raise the Cup, I hope you acknowledge that, Kiz.

– Matt, true believer