CO Avalanche Names Sacco as Head Coach

Medford Native, Hockey Star to Lead CO NHL Team

Medford native and hockey phenom Joe Sacco is pictured at right. Photo courtesy AHL.com.

Joe Sacco, a Medford High graduate and former pro hockey player, Olympic Hockey team member, and Boston University hockey star, was recently named head coach of Colorado Avalanche NHL Hockey team.

“I’m very honored and grateful to the Avalanche organization for giving me this opportunity,” said Sacco, who will become the franchise’s 13th head coach. “This organization has provided me with all the necessary tools and support to be successful and grow as a coach. I’m confident in my abilities and believe the experience I’ve gained will help me succeed in this new challenge.”

Sacco, 40, moves into the Avalanche head coach position after four seasons with the organization serving both as assistant coach (Lowell 2005-06; Albany 2006-07) and head coach (Lake Erie 2007-08, 2008-09) with the club’s American Hockey League affiliates.

“The American Hockey League has proven to be a valuable training ground for NHL head coaches and we’re confident that Joe’s experience at that level will be vital to his success with our organization at the NHL level,” said Avalanche General Manager Greg Sherman. “Our franchise has gone that route very successfully in the past.”

Under Sacco’s guidance, the Monsters finished with a 34-38-3-5 record (76 points) in 2008-09, posting eight more wins and 11 more points than they did in their inaugural season of 2007-08. Following the season, Sacco was named an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2009 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Switzerland.

Sacco is the son of Joe Sacco and his wife Maria, formerly of Clayton Avenue in Medford. He is the older brother of David Sacco, also a former Medford High, Boston University and Olympic hockey star who coached the Medford High School Hockey team a few years ago and was recently inducted into the Hockey East Hall of Fame.

Sacco appeared in 111 games over three seasons with the BU Terriers. He was a fourth-round draft pick (71st overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He played in 738 total games over a 13-year NHL career, which included stints with Toronto, Anaheim, the New York Islanders, Washington and Philadelphia. The right winger finished with 94 goals and 119 assists.

Sacco also competed internationally with the United States at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France, where the team finished fourth. He would go on to play for Team USA in six World Championships, winning a bronze medal in 1996.

Information courtesy Colorado Avalanche and George Sacco.