Jared Bednar

Jared Bednar had a 15-year association with the ECHL as a player, assistant coach and head coach. He was the first person to win three Kelly Cup titles, capturing titles as a player with South Carolina in 1997 and 2001, and one as the Stingrays’ head coach in 2009. A rugged defenseman as a player, he suited up in 434 career games with Huntington and South Carolina, totaling 173 points (43g-130a) and 1,210 penalty minutes. After retiring following the 2001-02 season, he joined the Stingrays’ coaching staff in 2002-03, and was named the team’s head coach prior to the 2007-08 season. In two seasons as South Carolina’s head coach, he went 89-45-9, leading the Stingrays to the 2008 American Conference Finals before winning the Kelly Cup title the following season. Bednar led Lake Erie to the American Hockey League Calder Cup championship in 2016, joining Bruce Boudreau as the only coaches to win both an ECHL and AHL title. He is currently in his fourth season as head coach of the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche.