Under the All-Star selection process, the head coach of the team with the highest points percentage in each of the four divisions through games of Monday, Jan. 10 will guide the respective All-Star rosters. Bednar's Avalanche lead the Central Division with a .719 points percentage (22-8-2 record).
Bednar, 49, owns a 206-157-41 (.561) career record in six seasons behind the bench, which includes a 184-101-37 (.629) mark and four straight playoff appearances since 2017-18.
Hired on Aug. 25, 2016, Bednar is the fourth-longest tenured coach in the NHL behind Tampa's Jon Cooper (March 25, 2013), Detroit's Jeff Blashill (June 9, 2015) and Pittsburgh's Mike Sullivan (Dec. 12, 2015).
With a 5-2 victory over Anaheim on Nov. 24, Bednar became the winningest coach in Avalanche history with 194 regular season wins. He surpassed Hartley, who won 193 contests. Bednar, who agreed to a two-year contract extension on Nov. 19, earned his 200th win on Dec. 12 against the Florida Panthers.
Overall, Bednar's 206 wins trail only Michel Bergeron (265) in Quebec/Colorado franchise history. Bednar's 404 games coached are the most in Avalanche history and second in franchise history behind only Bergeron (634).
Bednar has guided Colorado to a 24-18-1 record in 43 career postseason games, the second-best playoff winning percentage (.558) among active head coaches behind only Cooper (.603).
Bednar led the Avalanche to the Presidents' Trophy and Honda West Division championship during his fifth season behind the bench in 2020-21. Colorado's first overall finish came just four years after finishing last overall in the standings during Bednar's first season of 2016-17. The Avs became the first NHL team to go from worst to first in four seasons or less since the Bruins in 1970-71.
The 2021-22 campaign marks Bednar's 20th season of coaching professional hockey, 12 of which have been as a head coach. He posted a .603 winning percentage as a minor league head coach (251-158-23-19), winning championships at both the AHL and ECHL levels. Bednar was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year during his second season behind the bench in 2017-18.
