Breaking: Controversy arises around NHL coach being fired.

Fired coach says he already quit! What’s really going on?

On Tuesday the Avalanche coaches Francois Allaire, Tim Army and Dave Farrish were relieved from their duty. Allaire was the goaltender coach, Army was an assistant coach and Farrish was also an assistant coach.

Allaire successfully mentored Patrick Roy, winning Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993. In 2003, he also trained the relatively unheralded Jean-Sébastien Giguère to the Conn Smythe Trophy and won a third Stanley Cup championship with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

91.9 Sports Montreal did a brief interview with Allaire. The newly unemployed coach had some interesting comments to share as he says he quit a month a go. “A month ago, I told Joe Sakic that I will not be back with the organization. I am quite shocked to learn I’ve been fired, which is not true at all by the way.”

Earlier this season rumors of disagreement between Roy and general manager Joe Sakic over personnel decisions persisted and it seems Roy believed the team was being steered in the wrong direction. Maybe Patrick Roy was not the only problem.