As the Avalanche’s general manager, Joe Sakic publicly gets all the credit for his shrewd moves. But make no mistake, there’s a person standing by his side who deserves much of the praise.
Chris MacFarland, 50, has been Sakic’s right-hand man since 2015, joining the Avalanche from the Columbus Blue Jackets after working under GM Jarmo Kekalainen. MacFarland’s arrival in Colorado was the beginning of the end of Patrick Roy’s three-year tenure as head coach and vice president of hockey operations of the Avalanche.
Sakic, who became the Avs’ GM in 2013, is believed to have listened to MacFarland more than Roy, leading to Roy’s resignation on Aug.