Jared Bednar is the Avalanche.

And suddenly this organization needs him as much as he needed them.

Two years is not a long time. But the Stanley Cup Parade seems like a lifetime ago. The Avs no longer enter the season that begins Wednesday night as favorites to win a championship. That honor goes to the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars. Colorado is a team looking to maintain its standard of excellence despite a difficult transition forced by injury (Gabe Landeskog) and absence (Val Nichushkin).

There was a time when the Avs couldn’t escape the second round of the playoffs, and Bednar was cited as the reason why. He disproved that notion with the 2021-22 title run, compiling a postseason record of 16-4.

But the days of the Avs playing dial-in opponents via fiber are over. Last season they led the league in goals per game, something they are unlikely to repeat with Landeskog (uncertain) and Nichushkin (possibly mid-November) unavailable. They finished 16th in goals conceded.

That number remains more important than ever and goes back to the man on the bench. Bednar has led the Avs to seven straight playoff berths and averaged 52 wins over the last three seasons. Some believe an autopilot trainer could achieve these results. I respectfully disagree, and this is a season for Bednar to prove that point.

As a rough-and-tumble minor league player, Bednar earned the nickname “Bedrock.” His plus-minus was frightening but revealing. He was the guy who had everyone’s back and was never afraid to drop the gloves.

He wants to be as successful as the next coach, and this season he needs to convince players to buy into his long-standing focus: defense.

He has created a strong culture that will be tested by the inclusion of up to five young players in the opening squad. It needs to manifest itself through goal prevention in the first few months, not Disney-on-ice skating.

“It’s obviously demanding, his style of play. He takes a lot of pride in defensive play and that’s what we need to think about. “We have to push to be really good defensively,” said right winger Mikko Rantanen. “What I’ve noticed over the last few years is that it’s been more demanding on that side, which is really good because in the playoffs you have to be rock solid defensively to have success.”

The Avs lost their bearings at the end of last season, their mishaps as breathtaking as they were breathtaking. Add to that Nichushkin’s suspension before the puck dropped in Game 4 against the Dallas Stars last May, and any chance of regaining ground disappeared.

The Avs can sit around and cross their fingers until their knuckles turn white, hoping everything works out with Landeskog and Nichushkin. Or Bednar can move forward even though he can’t. This team must operate under the worst-case scenario to avoid another early postseason exit.

Of course, that means there are more secondary points to be had alongside reigning MVPs Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Rantanen.

But this group needs consistent defense to ease the pressure on Alexander Georgiev, a strong goalie whose weaknesses call for a sip of Tums.

“It absolutely has to be this way to start the year. With these injuries and players missing, it will be crucial that we play within the structure of our system and pay attention to detail. Of course we generally do that, but we could get away with not doing it first,” said right wing Logan O’Connor. “There is more emphasis on it. (Bednar) gives us the template with video and numbers to see where we stand. He does a good job of using the analysis and tying it to the message about what we need to do.”

No conversation about Bednar’s coaching takes place without the word “responsibility” coming up. Bednar quotes the word in his press conferences. And players insist it’s not hollow. They say he is fair in conversations but tough on them. When leading a successful team, it remains difficult to know when to step on the gas and when to let off the gas. Too much of it creates static that turns into background noise.