Jared Bednar and John Hynes share a mutual respect as opposing NHL head coaches in the Avalanche-Predators playoff series.
Long before their first-round matchup, with Colorado headed to Nashville with a 2-0 series lead for Game 3, Bednar and Hynes were American League Hockey coaches with a shared dream to someday lead an NHL franchise.
In January 2011, they were named co-head coaches of the Western Conference AHL All-Star team. It began a hockey friendship that continues to this day.
“You have this fraternity of guys that you’re familiar with and you get to know each other,” Bednar said.