Avs Analyst Mark Rycroft Thinks Roster Will Stay Intact

DENVER (CBS4) - Altitude's Colorado Avalanche analyst Mark Rycroft said he doesn't expect too many changes to the Avs roster next season after Colorado became the first club since the NHL expanded to 21 teams in 1979 to go from the bottom three to top three in a single season.

Rycroft was the guest on Xfinity Monday Live! and said he does expect head coach Patrick Roy to hold the players more accountable because they're not kids anymore.

"Did I think (Roy) was going to be the calmest guy in the locker room all year? Did anybody in the hockey universe think that? No. So what will we see next year? I don't think we know," Rycroft said. "I do believe he will hold guys a little more accountable, you have to."

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Rycroft said Roy is still the perfect guy for the job because he knows how to win championships.

"He's won four of them. I think one of the interesting subplots the next year is going to be, what will he do? Because the man loves hockey, it's his life, he watches more film, dedicates more time to hockey than maybe any coach there is," he said. "A lot of superstars sit back on their skill and don't continue to work. Hey, this guy outworks everybody."

Rycroft, who played college hockey for the University of Denver Pioneers, played four seasons in the NHL, including three for the St. Louis Blues and one for the Avs in 2006-07. He's been the Avs studio analyst for Altitude Sports since 2009 and also has done Colorado commentary for the Colorado Eagles games.

Watch more of the video with Mark Rycroft in the Xfinity Monday Live! section.

- By Matthew J. Buettner, CBSDenver.com