d a big profile. Roys profile might be more valuable than his coaching acumen, but his potential presence with an expansion franchise cant be ignored

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.Phil McConkey Jersey . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Mark Bavaro Womens Jersey . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Eli-Manning-Jersey/ . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Deandre Baker Giants Jersey . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Eli Manning Youth Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency.MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford briefly left the game against Dallas after taking a hard hit around the ribcage area while following through on a pass attempt late in the second quarter.Shaun Hill took over for the next two plays, before the Vikings had to punt while trailing the NFL-leading Cowboys 7-3 on Thursday night, but Bradford returned to the huddle to start the third quarter.Bradford was sandwiched on the play by defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who smacked his helmet into Bradfords side. Bradford was down in pain for a bit befoore walking slowly off the field.ddddddddddddHe stayed on the sideline until halftime.Bradford went 13 for 18 for 102 yards and no turnovers before getting hurt. With the Vikings offensive line in rough shape, he has endured plenty of big hits this season after arriving in an emergency trade with Philadelphia following the massive knee injury that felled original starter Teddy Bridgewater.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '