Avalanche hoping new skills coach pays off in more goals - and fun

The new skills coach of the Colorado Avalanche never played in the NHL, last playing professional hockey of any kind in 2008-09 in France for a team named Epinal. But, hey, Scotty Bowman never played in the NHL either and that worked out OK in coaching annals.

Shawn Allard is the name, and on Thursday, before the Avs boarded a charter flight to Winnipeg, a small group of players joined him in an optional practice that can best be described as “Hockey meets American Ninja Warrior.” Obstacles such as tires and long pieces of padded foam were constructed on the ice to form a kind of obstacle course for players to stick-handle through.

Hired not long ago by the Avs, Allard has been a semi-regular presence at practices – and off the ice with lots of video work. His job description is officially listed as in charge of “Performance Development.”

Alexander Kerfoot was one of the handful of players to participate Thursday, and was asked what he took from it:

“I think it’s nice, on some of those optional practice days, to get out there and work on some skills and get a change of pace from those other practices,” Kerfoot told BSN Denver. “He’s really good. He’s always high energy and he’s exciting to work with. It’s good skill development, especially for a young team.”

The hiring of “skills” coaches have been in vogue for a few years now, but the Avalanche had been one of the last holdouts. With the loss of director of player development David Oliver to the New York Rangers, Allard’s hire arguably helps fill some of that void – though the Avs say they are still going to hire a replacement for Oliver eventually. Allard has previous skills-coaching experience, with the Nashville Predators. Here is a link to Allard’s skating school website.

What did Jared Bednar want from a new skills coach?

“A couple things; No. 1, with the demands of the schedule, on a day like today, (our top guys) don’t need to be on the ice every practice. To me, the most important thing for them is video and thinking about it, and getting the minds right,” Bednar said. “I think, with Shawn, he allows some guys to go out and work on some skill and he’s a real good skating coach. He goes through video and shows guys got to scoring areas and how to get to scoring areas. It keeps their skills sharp, and that helps with confidence.”

Agreed, said Kerfoot.

“He’s so high-energy that it makes you want to get better. The top guys in the league now all work with skills coaches in the summer, so if it’s good enough for them, it is for us too,” Kerfoot said.

The Avs don’t allow assistant coaches to be interviewed by the media, so any insights from Allard will have to await a change in team policy. Safe to say, though, that – as Kerfoot said – the Avs have a hard-working, high-energy guy working to help guys get better.

NOTEBOOK

• Tyson Jost skated Thursday and will go on the Avs’ two-game road trip. Bednar seemed optimistic he’d return to the lineup, but a final determination will be made after the morning skate in Winnipeg. Jost said he feels good, but that the doctors will determine things Friday.
• Sven Andrighetto was skating recently, but wasn’t on the ice Thursday and will not go on the two-game road trip.
• Semyon Varlamov will start in goal against the Jets.
• While he has returned to Colorado, Conor Timmins still has not resumed skating. He has not played competitive hockey since March, after suffering a concussion.