Watch Joe Sacco Interview

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today the appointment of Joe Sacco and Sylvain Lefebvre to the respective head coach and assistant coach positions with the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League. The club will drop the puck on its inaugural campaign in Cleveland, Ohio next fall. The Avalanche will independently operate this AHL team after reaching a four-year agreement in December of last year.

Sacco, 38, will start his third season with the Avalanche organization where he has served as an assistant coach with each of the team's last two AHL-affiliate clubs in Lowell, MA and Albany, NY, where has been a key figure in the development process for Avalanche prospects such as Ben Guite, Jeff Finger and Kyle Cumiskey. It will be his first professional head coaching appointment after playing in 738 NHL games with Toronto, Anaheim, NY Islanders, Washington and Philadelphia . Prior to his NHL career, the Medford, MA native played three seasons with Boston University .

"Joe has been a key part of this organization's development efforts over the last two seasons as an assistant coach in the American league which has prepared him for this new challenge," said Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere. "He'll play a vital role in implementing our vision and executing our plan of developing our young prospects within our system in Cleveland."

"I definitely feel ready for the challenge," said Joe Sacco. "The Avalanche organization has built a winning tradition in Denver and I want to thank them for their support and trust in my capabilities. I look forward to moving to Cleveland and working with a dynamic organization.”

Assisting Sacco behind the bench will be former Avalanche defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre