Colorado has hired Jared Bednar, former coach of the American Hockey League champion Lake Erie Monsters, to replace Patrick Roy as coach of the Avalanche, the team announced Thursday.

Bednar, who has no NHL playing or coaching experience, signed a three-year contract with the Avalanche.

Roy, the Hall of Fame goaltender, abruptly quit as Avalanche coach and vice president of hockey operations two weeks ago, sending the team on a late-summer quest to fill the vacancy. Roy cited a disconnect between himself and management over his roles.

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic called Bednar "one of the top up-and-coming coaches in our business" and said he fit the profile he wanted after going through the interview process.

"We knew we were in a rush situation, but I wanted to do what I thought was the best thing for the franchise," Sakic said on a conference call Thursday. "I look at the track record, and I place a lot of value in winning championships. I know Jared's won in the [ECHL], and he just won a Calder Cup. It's tough to win in any league, and to be able to win, you've got to be doing something right."

New Avs coach Jared Bednar has no NHL playing or coaching experience, but GM Joe Sakic said he believed NHL head-coaching experience wasn't a must. Mark Buckner/Getty Images

Sakic called Bednar a "demanding" coach whom players respect and play for. He never played in the NHL, paying his dues as a journeyman minor league defenseman in his playing days, before coaching at the minor pro level since 2002. The Lake Monsters are the top farm team of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"It hasn't been an overnight thing," Bednar said. "It's taken some time, and I think that all my stops along the way have helped prepare me for this. I've never been trying to get on a fast track to get to the NHL. I feel like the goal is to do a good job where you are and be consistent and hone your craft, and that's what I've been working on over the years.''

Bednar got the nod from Sakic over Washington Capitals assistant Lane Lambert, Chicago Blackhawks assistant and former Florida Panthers head coach Kevin Dineen and others. Sakic's playing experience winning two Stanley Cups under Marc Crawford and Bob Hartley helped him decide that NHL head-coaching experience wasn't a must.

Last season was just Bednar's fourth as a coach at the AHL level. The native of Yorkton, Saskatchewan, was an assistant in the AHL for three other seasons. He also won the East Coast Hockey League's Kelly Cup in 2009 with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Sakic said he wanted someone who could coach in the fast, modern NHL and work with young players. Bednar showed he could do that in the Blue Jackets organization, impressing John Tortorella early in his tenure with the big club.

"Tortorella told me, 'I don't know who [Bednar] is, but every time he sends me a guy, he's ready to play,'" said Blue Jackets assistant GM Bill Zito. "I remembered it when he said it, and I never forgot it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.