DENVER -- Jared Bednar never got a shot in the NHL as a player but hes getting one now as a coach. Eddie Johnson Jersey .The Avalanche on Wednesday formally introduced Bednar, who was hired two weeks ago to lead Colorado after spending years in the minor leagues as a player and as a coach.I havent been in a rush to get to this point in my career, Bednar said. I was hopeful this opportunity would come. I hadnt stopped believing in that.Bednar succeeds Patrick Roy, who abruptly resigned as head coach and vice president of hockey operations on Aug. 11. With Roys departure coming six weeks before the start of training camp, the team had to move quickly to find a replacement.We knew we didnt have the luxury of interviewing 20 candidates, but we tried to put a good group of candidates together, said Joe Sakic, the teams executive vice president and general manager. Usually you have one or two interviews after, but we didnt have that luxury.Without the benefit of time, Sakic sought input from around the league and became convinced Bednar was the best fit for Colorados young core.There were a lot of phone calls to different people that know him and coached against him, Sakic said. The message was consistent.The 44-year-old Bednars path to the Avalanche began with an unspectacular minor league playing career. He scored 61 goals in 434 games for two different teams in the ECHL, had one goal in 74 AHL games and three more goals in 74 games in the International Hockey League.He never got an NHL call-up.Probably didnt come very close, Bednar said. I was just kind of a bubble player, a role player, but I was never really considered a prospect. Its disappointing because you work your whole life to be a player in the NHL.He spent his last two years with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL and found a second hockey life there at the end of his playing days.I started coaching and realized how much I loved it, he said. Ive been a more dedicated coach than I was a player.He began as an assistant with the Stingrays in 2002 and became the clubs head coach in 2007. He led the Stingrays to the conference finals in his first year, and they won the Kelly Cup in his second year.He jumped to the AHL in 2011 with Peoria, where he spent two years. He took over the Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate in Springfield in 2014 and guided the Lake Erie Monsters to a Calder Cup title this year.His success in the minors helped him land the job with the Avalanche.I put value in winning a championship, Sakic said. Its hard to do that in any league.Things have moved fast for Bednar over the past two weeks. His wife, Susan, and their children stayed in Cleveland while he hopped into his truck for the move to Denver.I drove because I had some stuff I wanted to bring and it gave me some time to think, he said.His biggest realization? That finally reaching the NHL is not the end of his journey.Being the coach of the Avalanche isnt the be-all, end-all for me, its the success I want our team to have, he said. Getting here is certainly achieving something but its what you do when youre here thats more important. Jeff Green Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Dale Ellis Jersey . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. https://www.cheapthunder.com/1071h-sarun...ey-thunder.html . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- In a story Oct. 3 about the injury status of Tennessee linebackers Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Texas A&Ms Myles Garrett is the Southeastern Conference sacks leader this season. He was the SEC sacks leader in 2015.A corrected version of the story is below:No. 9 Vols unsure about status of their top 2 linebackersTennessee is unsure about the status of its two top linebackers as it prepares to visit Texas A&M in a matchup of undefeated teamsBy STEVE MEGARGEEAP Sports WriterKNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee is unsure about the status of its two top linebackers as it prepares to visit Texas A&M in a matchup of undefeated teams.Darrin Kirkland Jr. has missed three straight games with a high ankle sprain. Jalen Reeves-Maybin missed the entirety of a 34-31 triumph at Georgia last week after sitting out the majority of victories over Ohio and Florida.That means No. 9 Tennessee (5-0, 2-0 SEC) again could be missing some of its best defensive performers when the Volunteers face No. 8 Texas A&M (5-0, 3-0). The Vols already are without cornerback Cam Sutton, who will miss a third straight game with a fractured right ankle.Reeves-Maybin, the Vols leading tackler last season, underwent an MRI last week. Reeves-Maybin and Sutton are two of Tennessees four team captains.Were continuing to gather information on Jalen Reeves-Maybin and trying to make the best decision to present to him with his different options, coach Butch Jones said. Ill know a little bit more later in the week.Kirkland had a team-leading 16 tackles through the first two weeks of the season before getting hurt. Jones said Kirkland ran Thursday and Friday, and the team planned to put him through cutting drills Monday to see if he can match the movements that the linebacker position brings about, different bursts and accelerations.Jones said cornerback Justin Martin should be available this weekend after serving a suspension last week for a violation of team rules. He also said running back Jalen Hurd will be full go this week and available to play against Texas A&M after missing portions of the Georgia game for what was desscribed as a lower extremity injury. Devon Hall Jersey. The Aggies also have been dealing with injuries. Texas A&M beat South Carolina 24-13 last week without four injured starters, including 2015 SEC sacks leader Myles Garrett. The other Aggies to miss the game were offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and receivers Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones.Texas A&M didnt have a media availability Monday, so there was no update on the foursomes status for this weeks game.Tennessee thus far has withstood all the injuries on defense thanks largely to the performance of its front four. The deep defensive line has played its best late in games to help the Vols outscore opponents 76-21 in the fourth quarter and overtime.Were going to need our defensive front to be that way each and every week, Jones said.The defensive line has benefited from being the healthiest element of Tennessees defense, with the only notable injury being an ankle problem that sidelined end LaTroy Lewis against Ohio. Tennessee knew even before the season its defensive line would be a strength.Before all the injuries, thats what our goal was before the season started, to be a D-line-led team, defensive tackle Kendal Vickers said. When the pressures on, we want it to be on our shoulders.That defensive line is led by Derek Barnett, who has recorded two sacks in each of Tennessees last two games. Barnett sacked Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason and forced a fumble that defensive end Corey Vereen recovered in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter last week.But the injuries across the defense have made a difference, particularly in the secondary. Tennessee has allowed four pass completions of at least 40 yards the last two weeks. The Vols yielded just one pass completion of 40-plus yards in the three games that Sutton played.Tennessees secondary could face an even tougher challenge Saturday against a talented Texas A&M receiving corps, particularly if Seals-Jones and Noil are healthy enough to play.---AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '