Aarif Deen
The Colorado Avalanche are losing their general manager to a Central Division rival.
Chris MacFarland departed the organization on Tuesday to join the Nashville Predators as the President of Hockey Operations and general manager. The Predators made the deal official just before noon Mountain Time after meeting with MacFarland late on Monday night.
MacFarland has been with the Avalanche since 2015 and has held the role of GM since July 2022.
Reports started to swirl during the Western Conference Final that MacFarland was on the Predators’ radar, pending the Avs’ season coming to an end. When Colorado was swept by Vegas, the team pushed off the season-ending press conference with President Joe Sakic and MacFarland. It’s been a week since the elimination game and they have not yet scheduled it.
This is likely why.
MacFarland was paramount in building the 2022 Stanley Cup roster, often serving as Sakic’s right-hand man when he was assistant GM. After the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, the Anaheim Ducks requested permission to speak with MacFarland in hopes of hiring him as GM.
Rather than granting position, the Avs elevated him to that role, allowing Sakic to take a promotion to team president.