DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche on Thursday introduced the public to the team's new head coach, Joe Sacco.

Newly named General Manager Greg Sherman, along with New Assistant General Manager Craig Billington, made the announcement. Former Avalanche player Sylvain Lefebvre was named assistant coach.

Sacco, 40, has coached the Avalanche's AHL franchise, the Lake Erie Monsters, for the past two seasons. Last season his team won 34 games and finished with 76 points, but failed to make the playoffs. He was also an assistant coach for the Lowell Lock Monsters.

"The American Hockey League has proven to be a valuable training ground for NHL head coaches and we're confident that Joe's experience at that level will be vital to his success with our organization at the NHL level," Sherman said. "Our franchise has gone that route very successfully in the past."

"I'm very honored and grateful to the Avalanche organization for giving me this opportunity," said Sacco, who will become the franchise's 13th head coach. "This organization has provided me with all the necessary tools and support to be successful and grow as a coach. I'm confident in my abilities and believe the experience I’ve gained will help me succeed in this new challenge."

The Medford, Mass., native was drafted in 1987 by the Toronto Maple Leafs and has played for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia Flyers. In 738 games he scored 94 goals and added 119 assists.

According to Wikipedia, Sacco was nicknamed "The Panimal" due to his Greek heritage and aggressive nature.

Lefebvre, 41, will begin his third season with the organization in a coaching capacity. He has served under Sacco as an assistant coach in Lake Erie the last two seasons. Lefebvre is a veteran of 945 NHL contests spanning 14 seasons with Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, Colorado and the New York Rangers. He was part of the Avalanche's first Stanley Cup Championship team in 1996.

"These two coaches have been at the frontlines of this organization's development efforts over the last few seasons," said Sherman. "Joe and Sylvain are familiar with our personnel, especially our young players within the system, and each played a role in implementing the organization’s vision with these players."

Colorado finished with the worst record in the Western Conference last season, going 32-45-5. General manager Francois Giguere was the first to go in the shakeup on April 13.

Coach Tony Granato, and five others, were also fired Wednesday as part of the sweeping change. Also fired were assistant coaches Jacques Cloutier and Dave Barr, goaltending coach Jeff Hackett, assistant to the general manager Michel Goulet and video coordinator P.J. DeLuca.

The first sign that Granato's job was in jeopardy came when the team courted Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy to be their coach. Roy turned them down after spending two weeks mulling the offer.

A perennial Stanley Cup contender after moving from Quebec to Denver, the Avalanche missed the playoffs for a second time in three seasons, scoring a league-low 190 goals.

Granato was in his second stint in charge of the Avalanche after taking over for Joel Quenneville in May 2008. Quenneville now coaches the Chicago Blackhawks, who advanced to the Western Conference finals before being eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings.

The Avalanche were besieged by injuries last season and went long stretches without Joe Sakic, offensive threat Paul Stastny and top defenseman Adam Foote.