Work rarely stops for an NHL executive, particularly an assistant general manager who oversees the club’s minor-league system.
Craig Billington is that top-to-bottom workaholic in Colorado, overseeing all player-personnel moves with the Colorado Eagles and reporting to Avalanche GM Joe Sakic.
During the NHL’s “pause” because of the coronavirus pandemic, Billington is still a busy guy — and feeling fortunate that he can devote so much time on building for the future. He and Sakic, along with co-assistant GM Chris MacFarland (who works directly with the Avs), are approaching their five-year anniversary together.
“We’re not going to the rink, and the games, and meeting the coaches, the players, but we still do have the advancement of our R&D and where we want this to go, and progressing it,” Billington, an Avalanche backup goalie from 1996-99, said in a phone interview.