I happened to be in Denver in the fall of 2013 for part of Patrick Roys first training camp as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, and there was a palpable excitement around the once-great, now-moribund franchise.Buzz is an easy throwaway term, but its an apt description for what was happening in Denver.I was also on hand for Roys first game as an NHL head coach, when his Avs thumped Bruce Boudreaus Anaheim Ducks 6-1 and Roy completed the night by shoving over a barrier between the two benches in an angry postgame altercation with Boudreau and Ducks player Corey Perry. Glorious. The same Roy who smashed a television set in former coach Bob Hartleys office after being lifted in a game was back with a vengeance behind the bench.And it seemed to work, didnt it?The Avs, shockingly, won the Central Division in Roys rookie coaching year, sending him on his way to a landslide win in the Jack Adams Award voting as coach of the year.Under the guidance of the Hall of Fame goalie, the Avs went from being one of the worst teams in the NHL to having the third-best record. The hockey world, it appeared, was once again Roys oyster.But the Avs were bounced in the first round of the 2014 playoffs and then promptly sunk out of sight the next two seasons, finishing last in the Central in 2015 and sixth this past season, missing the playoffs both times, a team seemingly without a clue -- at least defensively -- for much of the time.Still, in spite of the setbacks, few could have seen Roys abrupt departure on Thursday from his twin roles as head coach and vice president of hockey operations, a bombshell announcement made by Roy himself, apart from the team.Clearly the move took the Avs by surprise, though according to what Roy told ESPN.coms Pierre LeBrun, the coach informed GM Joe Sakic earlier in the day of his decision.Long after social media was agog at Roy walking away from the team, the Avalanche website still listed him in his positions and there was no reference to his having resigned.The Denver Post reported that longtime Roy teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Sakic was on vacation. Eventually, a team release confirmed Roys departure with the obligatory thanks-for-coming-out line from Sakic, but it seemed the front office was shell-shocked.I recall a conversation with veteran defenseman Erik Johnson after the Avs were beaten by the Detroit Red Wings in the Stadium Series outdoor game at Coors Field in February. The Avs were very much in the playoff hunt then, and Johnson suggested that with a management/coaching team that included Hall of Famers Roy and Sakic in the organization, the price for failure would be paid by the players in the room.And it seemed a valid point: Sakic and Roy have resumes that would seem to make them impervious to organizational shakeups, and the players should be held accountable for their failures.The Avs have made minor lineup moves this summer, and as it turns out the catalyst for the biggest move came from within.Roy also told LeBrun on Thursday not to read too much into the departure, but its difficult not to when Roy himself said that its important for the vice president of hockey operations to have a say in the decisions that impact the teams performance.These conditions are not currently met, Roy added in his statement, which was released independently of the organization and presumably without the organizations knowledge. The Avs did not comment.Whether he was being frozen out purposefully by Sakic and the rest of the management/scouting staff or whether Roy simply felt time had run its course, its that clear Roy sensed a change in atmosphere in Denver, and in typical Roy fashion, he audibled.As it turned out, the play he called was a down-and-out-and-keep-going.But for how long?Roy, 50, still has an enormous presence in the game of hockey. A few potential next destinations immediately come to mind.If Quebec City is really ever going to get back in the NHL, Roy would certainly be a natural fit, the hometown hero bringing the NHL back home. The storylines dont get much better than that if youre a fan of hockey in Quebec City.Or what about the new team in Las Vegas? That team could use a coach with experience and a big profile. Roys profile might be more valuable than his coaching acumen, but his potential presence with an expansion franchise cant be ignored, at least if only for discussion purposes, by new Vegas GM George McPhee.And of course theres Montreal, where Roy has been a folk hero since leading the Canadiens to championships in 1986 and 1993. Already folks on social media are suggesting Roys departure from Colorado turns up the heat on current Habs coach Michel Therrien. As if its not hot enough already after the Habs collapsed and missed the playoffs last season thanks in large part to goalie Carey Prices ongoing injury issues.But the only thing that is certain after Thursday is that the Avs are under the gun now.Clearly, Roy felt snubbed and now the pressure falls squarely on the shoulders of Sakic, the Hall of Fame center, to find not just a replacement for Roy but one who can restore the teams luster.The Central Division is a bear and the Avs are a big blueberry bush.Sakic must find a coach who can help plug some of the many defensive holes in the Avs lineup. The search is made more difficult by the fact that Roy waited until into the second week of August to pull the chute on the Avs.Many have already pointed to Bob Hartley, under whom Sakic (and Roy) won a Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Avalanche.Why not?Hartley did wonders with a foundering Calgary Flames team two seasons ago, guiding them to the second round of the playoffs before they took a step back last season; he was fired and ultimately replaced by Glen Gulutzan.The one thing I know about the Avalanche is that the past is never far behind when it comes to trying to revive the teams fortunes, even if a big part of that past abruptly walked out the door Thursday afternoon. Cheap Ecco Shoes China .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Ecco Shoes Online Outlet . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.cheapecco.net/ . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Discount Ecco Shoes Online . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Wholesale Ecco Shoes . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Until Utahs young offense finds its footing, the Utes defense feels ready to shoulder the load.The Utes sacked San Jose States quarterbacks 10 times and scored 17 points off three turnovers on the way to a 34-17 victory Saturday night.Its contagious, said defensive end Hunter Dimick. As an identity, were still trying to build that. This was a step in the right direction.Eight different Utah players collected sacks, with Dimick and Filipo Mokofisi each notching a pair.Utah (3-0) trailed twice early but kept the defensive pressure on Spartans (1-2) quarterback Kenny Potter, who took five sacks in the first half.We thought going into the season we were going to be pretty good up front, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. Im very encouraged. They came through tonight. They performed.The 10 sacks equaled the second-most in Utah history.The Utes led 13-10 when Reggie Porters interception late in the first half set up a 74-yard scoring drive. First-year quarterback Troy Williams hit Tim Patrick with a 54-yard completion to the 9, and then connected with Patrick with a 4-yard TD pass with 15 seconds left in the half.Williams, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards, said the Utes never panicked after their slow offensive start. We didnt get down, he said. Our confidence stayed high.The Utes knocked Potter out of the game late in the third quarter when he escaped being sacked for the eighth time, scrambling for a 5-yard gain before being sandwiched hard by two defenders. Freshman Josh Love took over and was sacked three times before throwing a 46-yard TD pass to Zamore Zigler.THE TAKEAWAYUtah: The Utes won their first road test of the season, and now begin Pac-12 play with a stretch of three road games in their first five. The first two are at Cal on Oct. 1 and at Oregon State on Oct. 15 before a potential Pac-12 South showdown at UCLA on Oct. 22.San Jose State: The Spartans dropped their 211st consecutive game to a team currently playing in a Power Five conference.dddddddddddd They have not beaten an opponent from one of the nations top five leagues since a 35-34 victory over Stanford on Sept. 9, 2006 at Spartan Stadium.UP NEXTUtah: The Utes open Pac-12 play at home Friday night against a USC team that fell to 1-2 after a 27-10 loss at Stanford. Utah should be motivated following a 42-24 loss at USC last season that spoiled a 6-0 start and No. 3 ranking in the Top 25. Were ready, Williams said.San Jose State: The Spartans take on their second straight Power Five opponent, traveling to Iowa State next Saturday. The game will be SJSUs first vs. a Big Ten foe since losing 24-7 at Minnesota in 2014.POLL IMPLICATIONSUtah: Tied for 26th in the AP voting a week ago, the Utes could creep into the Top 25 after keeping its unbeaten record intact.KEY NUMBERSUtah: Four days after senior running back Joe Williams retired from football, the Utes got strong performances from three backs: Zack Moss rushed 12 times 95 yards, Troy McCormick had seven carries for 61 yards and Armand Shyne had 92 yards on 12 second-half carries. All three scored touchdowns. . Utahs school record for sacks in a game is 13, set against Portland State in 1981.San Jose State: One week after piling up 642 yards in a 66-35 rout of FCS foe Portland State the Spartans were limited to 173 yards through the first three quarters. Potter, who accounted for five touchdowns in that win, was 10 for 18 for just 65 yards passing before being knocked out of the game. Love, in his first college appearance, was 11 of 21 for 184 yards with one interception.INJURY REPORTPotter had his right knee examined after the game and said it showed no damage. Kenny should be OK going forward, Spartans coach Ron Caragher confirmed. ' ' '