Jared Bednar likes it’s ‘Cup or bust’ for the ‘halfway home’ Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar embraces the pressure his team is under every season.

It means the Avs are always a contender to win the Stanley Cup.

Bednar had a lot of thoughtful answers after Colorado stunned Minnesota in OT on Wednesday night. The Avalanche completed an epic comeback to win 4-3 and eliminate the Wild in five games, moving to the Western Conference Final.

The head coach was asked about the high expectations for his squad every year and delivered a phenomenal response.

Jared Bednar got real after the Colorado Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference Finals 👀#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/2jWAoLgpX9

— Denver Sports 104.3 (@DenSports1043) May 14, 2026

“How would you rather have it? Every year I’ve been here after my second year, it’s like Cup or bust, Cup or bust. Well, we’ve won one Cup. It’s hard to win, okay? That’s number one. But I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Jared Bednar said.

The Avalanche did win a championship in 2022, but that’s the only time they’ve advanced past the second-round. Until last night. They’ll await the winner of the Ducks and Golden Knights for a chance to go to the Stanley Cup Final.

Jared Bednar mentioned there’s a lot of criticism when Colorado comes up short because they’re open about the goal of bringing home a title.

He thinks the Avs have “earned that reputation” because the end-game isn’t simply making the playoffs each year, which is the case for a lot of teams.

And even with the jubilation of booting the Wild out in heroic fashion, the job isn’t complete.

“We’re only halfway home. We could be leaving ourselves open to criticism later on in this year if things don’t go well. It’s still the way you want it. You’ve got to build a team that you think can compete for it and then you have to get a lot of luck on the way and you’re going to have to play some really good hockey to make it happen,” Bednar said.

Right now the Avalanche are playing excellent hockey. Colorado is 8-1 in the postseason and the favorite to hoist the Stanley Cup next month.

That doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee, but it’s clearly the only outcome that wouldn’t be a failure. And while that’s a tough standard to live up to, it’s the one that exists in Denver.

Jared Bednar is a huge reason why, pushing the right buttons and having the Avalanche as championship threats every single season.

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