Jared Bednar is the Avalanche.
And suddenly this organization needs him as much as he has needed them.
Two years is not a long time. But the Stanley Cup parade feels like forever ago. No longer are the Avs entering the season, which starts Wednesday night, as the favorite to win a championship. That honor belongs to the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars. Colorado is a team seeking to maintain a standard of excellence while going through an awkward transition forced by injury (Gabe Landeskog) and absence (Val Nichushkin).
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There was a time when the Avs could not escape the second round of the playoffs, and Bednar was advanced as the reason why.