Denver, CO (My Sportsbook) - The
Colorado Avalanche fired general manager Francois Giguere on Monday, just one day after the team finished with the worst record in the Western Conference.
The Avalanche posted a record of 32-45-5 for 69 points. Only Tampa Bay, with 66 points, and the New York Islanders, with 61, had fewer points in the NHL.
"The results of this season are unacceptable," said Avalanche president Pierre Lacroix, who will oversee the daily operations of the franchise until a new GM is selected. "We feel a new direction is needed which re-emphasizes those standards of excellence our fans have grown accustomed to since 1995. We will work diligently towards reclaiming our identity that made our brand so special and unique."
Giguere took the reins at Colorado in May 2006 and the team failed to reach the playoffs in two of his three seasons at the helm. Before Giguere's arrival, the Avalanche had qualified for the postseason every year since relocating from Quebec City for the 1995-96 campaign -- winning a pair of Stanley Cup titles during that stretch.
"We are too proud of what we have accomplished in this market to ignore where we are and what happened in just a very short period of time," Lacroix added. "Ownership and the dedicated Avalanche fans throughout the region deserve better results."
The last-place finish in the conference was the worst for the franchise since the Quebec Nordiques were last in the old Wales Conference in 1991-92. The Avs had recorded at least 95 points each season since moving to Denver before this season's disaster.
"The immediate future of this franchise is my primary concern so it was important to act now and start the process of restoring this franchise to where it belongs," Lacroix concluded.
A timetable for finalizing the team's management structure was not immediately given.
Giguere was an assistant to Lacroix with the Colorado/Quebec franchise from 1994-2001. He then spent five seasons as the assistant GM with the Dallas Stars before rejoining the Avalanche when Lacroix moved from GM to president.
