Since Jared Bednar took over as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche in 2016, the franchise has embraced an analytics-forward approach that has played a critical role in shaping their success.
The Avs have become a leader in integrating analytics into game preparation, player evaluation, and in-game adjustments. The flow of information from the front office to the coaching staff and players has allowed Colorado to remain a top competitor in the NHL.
The hiring of Bednar ushered in a new era for the team… one that resulted in a historic turnaround from the 48-point season to consistent playoff bids and a Stanley Cup.
The addition of Arik Parnass as a full-time hockey analyst prior to the 2017 NHL season marked the beginning of a fundamental shift. Parnass, now the Director of Analytics, has been instrumental in shaping the Avs’ data-driven approach, alongside Associate Director Dawson Sprigings, hockey analyst David Wood, and data scientist Jetson Ku.
Colorado’s commitment to analytics isn’t just about gathering data; it’s about processing and communicating it effectively.
Jared Bednar has set himself apart in this regard, ensuring that data isn’t just collected but meaningfully applied.
Bednar is an intriguing blend of everything cultists love about old school hockey heads and something far more progressive than perhaps he’s given credit for.
He clings to aspects of hockey that have served the sport since its inception. Much of his winning formula is uncomplicated: hard work begets success.
He likes his players to have a little sandpaper and grit. He’ll pass over puck-skill and finesse if it can’t be trusted in a limited role. He’d rather hedge his bets on the under-ten-minute player that will run everybody over, sell-out to block shots, and make a loud, physical impact.
And beyond that, it’s about mutual trust. Consistent, repeated mistakes will shorten that leash. Passivity will blacklist you.
He speaks words of affirmation onto his players - hoping to build them up and encourage good habits. He’ll reward progress and effort where he can, but winning decides everything in the end.
His structure is simple, but it can seem unforgiving. It functions off hard work and punishes complacency.
It acts as a blueprint for the Colorado Avalanche to collectively add life to using their unique strengths: overwhelming speed and suffocating possession. Colorado’s stars do a lot of the heavy lifting with contributions you can count on.
Nathan MacKinnon’s above-a-point-per-game pace sets him up for another 100-point season like it’s easy. Colorado looks to have the most points scored by defensemen of any team for the fifth year in a row. You almost single-handedly have Cale Makar to thank, but Devon Toews is not absent from that conversation either.
It’s a well-oiled machine when you’ve got the buy-in. Bednar leverages analytics to both prepare and compel his players. Film is a widely used teaching tool around the league and Bednar uses both analytics and film to strengthen a point.
Former player Lukas Sedlak, who played for Bednar six years apart in both the AHL and NHL (briefly during the 2022 season), noted the interesting evolution in Bednar’s approach to coaching over the years.
“As a person and as a coach on the ice, he’s still the same. He’s all about the small details of the game and a demanding coach,” said Sedlak.
But Sedlak first pointed out Bednar’s use of analytics as the biggest difference.
“The stats and everything (analytics) have developed a little bit over the last six years,” he explained.
Jared Bednar himself is deeply involved in studying analytics, often using statistical analysis alongside video review to refine his team’s approach. He believes that numbers help tell a clearer story than relying solely on the eye test:
“I start with our team first and then I use that information to help explain to the players, ‘Listen, it’s not just the eye test. I’m just telling you this is where we’re good. This is where we’re not so good. It shows up in matches. Everyone kind of knows where our league rank is for certain things.’”
The Avs’ analytics team provides pre-scouting reports to the coaching staff, highlighting key trends, vulnerabilities, and potential strategies for each matchup.
Bednar integrates analytics heavily into his pre-scouts, “I can show them some video quickly in five minutes. But if I add the analytics to it that explains, ‘This is how they play,’ and I show them the video like, ‘This is what the numbers say, this is what they’re really good at compared to everyone else in the league. This is what we have to be prepared for,’ and then show them the video. It paints a clear picture.”
Veteran forward Zach Parise described the clarity that Bednar’s approach provides during last year’s playoffs:
"It's almost like he gives you a map of how to win the game,” said Parise. “That's how I would describe it. It’s the other team's strengths, weaknesses and how you can try to exploit those different areas."
One of Bednar’s signature coaching strategies is breaking the regular season into ten-game segments. This approach allows the team to reflect on their performance, analyze statistical trends, and make adjustments accordingly.
Ross Colton, who joined the Avs ahead of the 2023-24 season, immediately noticed the difference in how the Avs incorporate analytics compared to his previous team.
“I'm sure not all coaches do that,” Colton started. “I feel like we never really did anything like that (in Tampa). I'm sure they had some behind-the-scenes guys that did, but it was never really presented to us as players, which I really like (now),” he added. “I feel like it just goes to show when the game's dipping, there's a reason for it, and lets you implement how we could change that moving forward.”
“The one thing that sticks out is I feel like [Bednar] always breaks it down into those 10 game segments,” he explained. “So after 10 games (we) kinda regroup, go through all the analytics of the prior segment where we dropped off or where we raised in certain areas, and we can build off that and see. If we're winning, the defensive (numbers) are always the numbers (that) are higher and then obviously vice versa.”
“If it's just little things that could help us, night in, night out. We do video in the morning of games and it breaks down different teams, different areas of weaknesses of theirs that we can exploit out there,” he added.”
Colton admitted that he’s more of a “feel” guy himself, but the use of analytics has helped him to see the bigger picture. “I personally really like it and it goes to show us why [the organization] has had so much success these last couple of years.”
For analytics to be truly effective, players must embrace the information being provided.
Casey Mittelstadt, acquired at the 2024 trade deadline, has noticed a stark contrast between the Avs’ analytical approach and what he previously experienced in Buffalo,” I feel like there's endless ways to use it. It's been interesting for me,” he said.
“At least here in Colorado, I think we use them a lot more than most teams and way more than we used them in Buffalo. It puts it on paper and kind of puts it in perspective and makes it pretty easy for the players to understand.”
Mittelstadt explained how analytics provide valuable insights into both individual and team performances, “There's individual Goals-For and Goals-Against, shot attempts, all that stuff, and obviously, team stats as well. If you're having a talk with coach, you're going to go through individual (stats) and more so with the team - you're going to go through the group as a whole.”
“I think maybe it affirms things or shows you things that you don't necessarily think of… For me, I think mostly just, like, Goals-For/Goals-Against and knowing how your matchup was the night before and if you're giving up a lot. Especially defensively, it helps a lot,” Mittelstadt added.
“You see the film and obviously, sometimes maybe you can think it's a one off or whatnot, but if if the numbers are are backing it up and especially consistently backing it up, then it's something you need to work on or the other side of it, it's you're doing a good job of it. Both of them don't lie.”
In his first full-NHL season, defenseman Sam Malinski has also noticed Bednar’s attention to detail and analytical approach.
“Anyone that knows him knows he's a pretty calm guy… so he keeps us pretty steady, making sure we're not getting too high and too low after certain games… He gives us everything we need to feel prepared for the game. That just gives you a little more confidence going into each game knowing how a team's going to forecheck and how they're going to pressure in the offensive zone.”
Which brings us back to the rigidity of Bednar’s formula for success. On one hand, you have a coach that has won at every level. You wouldn’t want him to fix what isn’t broken at the first sign of distress.
His approach established the foundation for a winning culture that continues to define the team today. It’s embedded in the leaders who have experienced success firsthand, reinforced by a coach who guided them through the sting of second-round exits. It’s a core identity that acts as a home base.
So why is he digging into several team projects ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off break?
He couldn’t help but get a head start on one involving their o-zone play. He’s been studying analytics and film, seeing how it all fits his specific group especially after some new additions in Martin Nečas and Jack Drury.
“You got to get a big enough sample size once you're talking about it to make sure you're presenting the right stuff to the team and that it's accurate. So I have a few things that I want to look at,” he explained.
That’s right. Bednar won’t be taking much of a break while Makar, Toews, MacKinnon, and Artturi Lehkonen represent their respective countries in the 4 Nations Face-Off on February 12th. He’ll be immersed in video and numbers to improve his team.
“It's telling me some things. We got some areas that we got to improve upon. The four lines, you got to remember, now you get four lines,” he said, referring to the team’s improved depth. “If they can go do what they did the last couple games (St.Louis/Philadelphia), then all of a sudden I like our o-zone play and our rush attack better than I have throughout the course here.”
“So the personnel being healthy, being deep, everyone playing well even when they're in the lineup, it tells a tale for me and that's what I'm studying.”
It points to a coach who is not above innovation.
While every team in the NHL uses data to some extent, few have embraced it as thoroughly and effectively as Jared Bednar.
His coaching philosophy is a rare blend of traditional hockey fundamentals and cutting-edge analysis. He demands the grit, structure, and accountability that have defined the sport for decades, yet he’s equally invested in the numbers that reveal deeper insights into performance.
His ability to balance these elements makes him one of the most adaptable coaches in the NHL. Bednar translates analytics into a language his players trust: a roadmap to winning.
This duality is what sets him apart. He’s not just leading a team; he’s evolving the game itself, proving that the future of hockey doesn’t belong solely to the old guard or the new school, but to those who can master both.
