Former Terrier standout forward Joe Sacco was named head coach of the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, replacing Tony Granato. The Avs recently shook up their front office, firing both the general manager and Granato. The Medford, Mass., native who scored 128 points (63-65) in three seasons for BU, spent the past four seasons coaching in the Avs organization, the last two as head coach of the team’s AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Loch Monsters. A fourth-round Toronto draft choice in 1987, Sacco played 738 games in 13 NHL seasons.
Three members of the 2008-09 Terriers are Avalanche draft choices: Brandon Yip, who graduated last month, Kevin Shattenkirk, who will captain BU next season, and Colby Cohen, who scored the game-winning goal in the NCAA championship game in April.
Avalanche Press Conference:
Sacco is the third former Terrier to lead an NHL team. Steve Stirling, captain of the 1971 NCAA championship team and a first-team All-American, coached the Islanders in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. Mike Sullivan, captain of the 1989-90 team and Sacco’s teammate for three seasons, coached the Bruins, also in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. Jack Kelley, an All East defenseman and Terrier MVP in the early 50s and for ten seasons BU's head coach, was the first head coach of the WHA's New England Whalers, winners of the league's first Avco Cup championship.
Sullivan’s name has been in the news lately, too. He spent last season as associate coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning but his contract is up at the end of this month. Sullivan has been given permission to talk with other teams and is rumored to be considering reuniting with John Tortorella, the Rangers’ head coach and Sullivan's one-time boss in Tampa. If he moves to Broadway, Sullivan will join two other former BU captains, Chris Drury and Matt Gilroy.
Sacco's appointment prompted College Hockey News' Adam Wodon to do some summertime conjecturing about the candidates to succeed Jack Parker behnid the BU bench whenever the 2009 Spencer Penrose Award winner decides to step down.
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