Colorado Avalanche Hire Chris MacFarland as Assistant GM

This afternoon the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that Assistant General Manager Chris MacFarland was leaving the Blue Jackets organization in order to take on the same Assistant GM role with the Colorado Avalanche. MacFarland spent 16 years with the Blue Jackets organization and was eventually promoted to the role of Assistant GM in 2008. According to Aaron Portzline at the Columbus Dispatch:

MacFarland has served in several capacities in the Blue Jackets’ front office, negotiating contracts, scouting the pro and amateur ranks, and – his biggest role — overseeing the minor-league rosters in Syracuse, N.Y., and, most recently, in Springfield, Mass.

While MacFarland’s role in Columbus revolved primarily around the Blue Jackets’ minor league affiliate, it sounds like MacFarland is receiving a sizable promotion in his move to Colorado. Portzline writes that:

With the Avs, he’ll be the “right-hand man” of GM Joe Sakic, and work closely with coach Patrick Roy and assistant GM Craig Billington. MacFarland said he’ll have a heavy role in pro scouting, as Billington handles most of the club’s AHL issues.

For those wondering if MacFarland would replace Craig Billington working with the Avalanche, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post confirmed MacFarland is an addition to the Avalanche’s current staff, not a replacement. With Billington managing the Avalanche’s affiliate and former general manager Greg Sherman advising the staff on cap management, Chris MacFarland will be the team’s first assistant general manager in a traditional role.

Behind the scenes moves like these are always difficult to assess early, but it’s easy to be encouraged by this addition by the Avalanche.  With 16 years in an NHL front office doing everything from professional scouting and personnel decisions to contract negotiations, MacFarland brings a bulk of experience to a relatively inexperienced front office, led by third year General Manager, Joe Sakic.

On twitter, Aaron Portzline described MacFarland’s AHL reputation as “sterling” and his recent body of work looks strong. While crippling injuries sunk the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2015, Columbus management has the Blue Jackets primed for a great future.  Specifically, MacFarland’s AHL system helped develop several impact players for the Blue Jackets in the last few years, including Cam Atkinson, David Savard, Matt Calvert, and Mark Dano.

What’s most encouraging, however, is that the Avalanche are still looking to improve their front office practices and that they want to add an outside perspective. The Avalanche organization has always been something of an “old boys club,” filling their staff by promoting from within, hiring former players, or drawing on Patrick Roy’s personal relationships in the QMJHL.

Seeing the Avalanche reach outside their organization for help, especially from someone who has embraced the importance of analytics in player assessment, is a big step in the right direction. Remember that just last year ESPN ranked the Avalanche last in the NHL and 117th out of all 122 NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL franchises for the quality and power of their analytics staff. Of course, Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy still have the final say on all personnel decisions, but adding Chris MacFarland, with his wealth of experience and support for the growing analytics movement, looks like a clear win.