The Colorado Eagles saw two head coaches depart within a two-year span. The last two coaches departed seeking NHL roles. This may suggest that the Colorado Avalanche have created a glass ceiling, making it difficult to get promoted within the organization. The Avalanche have not promoted from within recently, and coaches will seize other chances if they arise.

Last two departures

At the end of June, Mark Letestu left the Eagles to accept a role as an assistant coach for the Vegas Golden Knights. After only one season as a head coach in the American Hockey League, the move is not very common. Letestu, backed by a solid roster with the Eagles, led them to their first AHL Western Conference Finals in franchise history.

Aaron Schneekloth had a different path with the organization. He spent 20 years with the Eagles as a player and coach. Schneekloth spent two seasons as the head coach while the team was in the ECHL and won the Kelly Cup both years. When the team was promoted to the AHL, he was demoted to assistant coach under Greg Cronin. Five seasons as an assistant and Schneekloth was offered the head coaching role once again. But when an opportunity came in the NHL, he could not pass it up. Schneekloth had shown he knew how to win, taking the Eagles to their first AHL Division Finals. He departed in June 2025 for the Seattle Kraken.

Coach Greg Cronin

When the Eagles joined the AHL as the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, they named Greg Cronin as their head coach. He had been in coaching for over 30 years, rising as high as associate coach with the New York Islanders. Once you get to the NHL, you want to always get back. The Avs managed to re-sign Cronin to an extension in 2021, but I think the passion to rise was always there. The Anaheim Ducks offered him a spot, and with no openings on the Avs, he eagerly accepted.

The last promotions

When the Avs had the San Antonio Rampage as their affiliate (2015–2018), there were no coaching promotions from them either. The last promotion that an Avs’ AHL affiliate saw to the big club was David Quinn in 2012. He joined the Avalanche from the Lake Erie (now Cleveland) Monsters after three years at the helm and a 115–94–7–20 record. Before that, Joe Socco was named the head coach of the Avalanche after two seasons with the Monsters. Former Avalanche defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre came along with Sacco as they put up a 34–38–3–5 record in 2008–09.

It has been over 14 years since the last Avalanche promotion from the AHL for a coach. There have been only three in the last 17 years, on top of that. In a league where coaching seats rotate like a merry-go-round, you’d think there would have been more. Jared Bednar received the head coaching position and was in the Columbus system at the time. So, have the Avs created a glass ceiling for their coaches?