DENVER — New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy stepped onto the ice at Ball Arena and briefly glanced toward the rafters.
Yep, his familiar No. 33 was still up there with all the other banners representing retired Colorado Avalanche numbers.
Being back in town for Roy brought back memories of helping Colorado win two Stanley Cup titles as a goaltender. It also made him reflect on the bitter end, when he abruptly resigned as Avalanche coach two months before the start of the NHL 2016-17 regular season.
“A lot of good memories,” Roy said Monday after practice and hours before his first game against his former team as coach of the Islanders. “That’s the way I want to look at it.”
Roy has no regrets over how he handled the situation even as it took more than seven years to land another NHL head coaching job. It just made him more appreciative returning to the bench last January when he took over for Lane Lambert.
“I’m in a much better place today than I was then, more respect for the position, more appreciation for being back in the league,” said Roy, who went 20-12-5 last season to guide the Islanders into the playoffs. “At the same time, things went well for the Avs.”
Especially for Jared Bednar, who was hired as coach after Roy’s departure. It was a rough first season under Bednar as the Avalanche went 22-56-4 in ’16-17. Five years later, the Avalanche were hoisting the Stanley Cup.
“I probably owe him a big hug and a steak dinner,” Bednar said of Roy. “Everyone does what’s right for them personally, but for me, it just opened a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
After the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022, Roy texted longtime teammate and Avalanche president Joe Sakic to tell him how proud he was.
“I was happy for them,” Roy said. “When you play here for those years, and the connection with the fans and the opportunity to wear that jersey night after night, it’s something that we put a lot of pride in.”
Being back in the Mile High City, Roy couldn’t help but think about Colorado general manager Pierre Lacroix, who died in 2020. Lacroix was once Roy’s agent and after Lacroix arrived in Denver helped orchestrate a trade with Montreal that brought Roy to town.
“He’s the one that gave me my chance,” Roy said. “So obviously, I’m always going to have a thought for him.”
Roy won 551 games over his Hall of Fame goaltending career with Montreal and Colorado. He captured three Vezina trophies and was part of four Stanley Cup teams between the Canadiens (1986, 1993) and Avalanche (1996, 2001).
The 59-year-old Roy was hired as coach by Colorado in 2013 to turn around the team. He propelled the Avalanche into the playoffs his first season and with a rookie named Nathan MacKinnon. After two more seasons, Roy suddenly stepped down. At the time, Sakic contended the team’s lack of success played into Roy’s decision to leave.
“In the past, I would take things for granted,” Roy explained Monday. “Sometimes it’s nice to put your ego aside and understand that it’s a privilege coaching in this league. Every day you need to put the work (in), you try to learn new things. I think that’s what I’ve been doing a lot better than I was doing then.”
He’s treating this as just another game. Same approach as last season against Montreal.
“I always have the Avs in my heart. Same thing with Montreal,” Roy said. “I had great memories over those 11 years that I was involved with the (Avalanche) organization. I’m thankful for it.”
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