Former Peoria Rivermen head coach hoists Stanley Cup with Colorado Avalanche

Former Peoria Rivermen head coach Jared Bednar hoisted the Stanley Cup on Sunday as the Colorado Avalanche closed out Tampa Bay in the NHL's championship series.

Bednar became the first former Rivermen head coach to win a Stanley Cup as an NHL head coach, adding to the 40-year hockey franchise's ties to the Cup.

Bednar was head coach of the Rivermen in the American Hockey League for two seasons as the top affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. He led the Rivermen to a 42-30-8 record and first-round playoff loss in the 2010-11 AHL season.

Then a 39-33-4 effort followed in 2011-12. Bednar's two years at the Rivermen helm marked the only two consecutive seasons above .500 for the Peoria franchise in its AHL era.

Bednar then went on to coach at AHL Springfield, then won the AHL's Calder Cup while coaching Lake Erie.

That catapulted him to the NHL, where he became head coach for Colorado in 2016-17. He led the Avs to a third-round matchup in 2019-20, and in his sixth season on Sunday took them to the final step.

From the archive: Former Rivermen coach Jared Bednar to lead NHL's Colorado Avalanche

Bednar will join other former Rivermen with their names on the Stanley Cup. Other links to Peoria include Avalanche veteran defenseman Erik Johnson, who played one game for the Rivermen in the 2007-08 AHL season, joining them for a Nov. 6, 2007 game at Iowa. And former IHL-era Rivermen defenseman Dan Laperriere, who is a pro scout with Colorado.

Here's a list of former Rivermen players whose names are on the Stanley Cup:

Jaden Schwartz, Alex Pietrangelo, Jordan Binnington and Jake Allen from the Blues 2018-19 title team, plus defenseman Ian Cole (Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017), center Lars Eller (Washington in 2018), enforcer Todd Ewen (Montreal in 1993) and defenseman Bret Hedican (Carolina in 2006).

There is also center Tony Hrkac (Dallas in 1999), defenseman Lyle Odelein (Montreal in 1993), defenseman Gordie Roberts (Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992), winger Warren Rychel (Colorado in 1996), center Mike Zigomanis (Pittsburgh in 2009) and goaltender Manny Legace (Detroit in 2002).

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Ex-Peoria Rivermen head coach wins NHL Stanley Cup title with Colorado