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'The best team lost' Lacroix hints at off-season changes to Avs
Posted: Sunday May 28, 2000 08:25 PM
DENVER (AP) -- Less than 24 hours after his team's exit from the playoffs, an emotional Pierre Lacroix hinted at changes in the Colorado Avalanche for next season. Few changes would be immediate, however. The Avalanche general manager, his coaching staff and players remained too stunned by their Game 7 loss to Dallas in the Western Conference finals. On Sunday, Lacroix called the 3-2 loss "probably the single most disappointing and frustrating loss that I've ever had to face since I decided to take over the challenge of running this franchise six years ago." Asked to assess his team's deficiencies, Lacroix declined, insisting, "I'm convinced that the best team lost." But that doesn't mean Lacroix has ruled out making changes to his coaching staff or to his core group of players. Asked about the future of Bob Hartley, whose team has lost to the Stars in seven games of the conference finals in each of his two seasons as head coach, Lacroix said, "We're going to address every issue. Some people might look at our situation as, 'Hey, this team has been in the Final Four for four years out of five. You have to be happy.' But sometimes you look at it differently. I have my ways of looking at this situation." Asked if he intended to keep his team's nucleus together or shake it up, he said, "I will make evaluations over the next three to four months. I will address it. It will take time to do the adjustments. "Don't take me wrong in what I'm saying. We have a great bunch of professionals and hard-working, very dedicated people. It's just that the result was not there." At least 10 Avalanche players are eligible to become free agents this off-season, including Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque, Sandis Ozolinsh, Dave Andreychuk, Adam Deadmarsh, Chris Drury and Milan Hejduk. Lacroix called attempts to sign Bourque, who gave the team an emotional lift following his trade from Boston on March 6, "a priority." Finalization of Stan Kroenke's bid to purchase the Avalanche should be completed by late June, Lacroix said. Lacroix promised that the organization "will continue to do everything we can to give this city and our great fans the best and most exciting product they've had for the last five years. I'm convinced this organization has done over the last two years everything in order to give this team the chance to win the ultimate goal -- winning the Stanley Cup." Lacroix appeared near tears when discussing the death of hockey great Maurice Richard. "The next few days are going to be mourning days," he said. "The game of hockey has lost a pioneer, and it's family-related, too. My wife's sister is married to one of the Rocket's sons. Being a Canadian, this is very emotional."
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