NEW YORK -- Joe Sakic has given Nathan MacKinnon another endorsement to be the first pick in the NHL draft, though the Colorado Avalanche are still listening to trade offers. Speaking after the board of governors meeting, Colorados executive vice president of hockey operations explained why the team preferred MacKinnon to defenceman Seth Jones, who has ties to Denver. "We believe Seth, hes going to be a good player, as well, a very good defenceman in this league," Sakic said. "When youre picking No. 1, you want to be able to pick what you believe is going to be the best player in the draft. That was why we made that decision." Sakic and head coach/vice president of hockey operations Patrick Roy have repeatedly singled out MacKinnon as their choice at No. 1. Sakic originally told the Denver Post that the Avalanche would pass on Jones in favour of a forward, either MacKinnon, Halifax teammate Jonathan Drouin or Finnish centre Aleksander Barkov. Sakic called this a "deep draft" but said the Avalanche have targeted the player theyre taking. He was then asked about MacKinnon. "I think when you watch Nathan play, hes definitely a skilled guy but hes a powerful skater," Sakic said. "He can play a skill game, but he loves going to the net. He loves going to the hard areas, and hes just a tremendous player." The Avalanche front office being so up-front with the stance of MacKinnon over Jones has raised skepticism about possibly trying to drum up a trade. The Florida Panthers pick second and the Tampa Bay Lightning third. Sakic wouldnt say how Colorados approach is affecting trade talks, if at all. "Obviously when you get closer to draft time, you might receive more calls. Im not too sure," he said. "Were very happy and content with picking first, but if we get some calls, obviously well listen. Right now were excited about making the first selection." 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Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Coaches changing jobs is an annual rite in the NBA, and one-third of the leagues 30 teams have changed coaches since last season ended. Heres a look at the 10 coaches in new jobs:---KENNY ATKINSON, Brooklyn NetsAtkinsons only head-coach experience was his stint leading the Dominican Republic national team. But he played across much of Europe, and has spent almost a decade as an assistant with the New York Knicks and most recently the Atlanta Hawks. Hes one of only two coaches who will be serving as an NBA head coach for the first time, joining Memphis David Fizdale (if one doesnt count the Lakers Luke Walton, who was the acting head coach in Golden State for the first half of last season).---SCOTT BROOKS, Washington WizardsTheres eight active coaches in the NBA with more than 300 wins, and Brooks is one of them. Hes the 12th full-time Washington coach since the franchises last trip to the conference finals in 1979. He won a title as a player in Houston, was an NBA coach of the year with Oklahoma City, got the Thunder to the NBA Finals and never had a losing record in any of his six full seasons as a head coach. His hiring could seem like a steal for Washington, which has a young roster loaded with talent like John Wall and Bradley Beal.---MIKE DANTONI, Houston RocketsHe wants to run, run, run and any offense being controlled by James Harden would figure to thrive with that mandate. Houston is the fifth head-coaching stop for DAntoni, who hasnt taken a team past the first round since he got Phoenix into the Western Conference semifinals in 2007. DAntonis last two stints, with the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, didnt go well. But Houston is looking for a return to the upper echelon of the West, and DAntoni likely feels the same urgency.---DAVID FIZDALE, Memphis GrizzliesIt was an annual question in Miami: What would it take for David Fizdale to get a job elsewhere? The answer finally came this offseason, when Memphis decided Fizdale was the right person for the job there and ended his eight-year stint as a Heat assistant. He was one of Erik Spoelstras most trusted confidantes during the Heat run of four straight trips to the NBA Finals, has long had great relationships with players and already seems to have the respect of the Grizzlies locker room. There will be some growing pains for the rookie coach, though likely none he cant handle.---JEFF HORNACEK, New York KnicksHornaceks only other gig as a head coach came in Phoenix, where he started fast -- going 48-34 in his first season. Problem was, he went 53-78 in the rest of his tenure there before getting fired and probably was a bit victimized by his early success. He was part of a Knicks makeover of sorts this summer, with the team landing Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah to pair alongside Carmelo Anthony. Its hard to imagine the pressure-cooker that is New York would bother Hornacek, who has been in the league as a coach and player for 30 years.---DAVE JOERGER, Sacramennto KingsIn his three years in Memphis, he never had a losing season, never missed the playoffs -- not even last year when injuries got to almost a comical point for the Grizzlies, won 60 percent of his regular-season games -- and got fired, though neither side was upset about the breakup.dddddddddddd Joerger was hired by Sacramento two days after the end of his Memphis tenure. Whether in the NBA or any of the minor leagues he coached in, Joerger has never had a team finish with a losing record. That 11-season streak will be tested now.---NATE MCMILLAN, Indiana PacersHes fourth among active coaches with 478 wins, behind only Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle. McMillan is going to be running a team for the 13th season, his first time in the first chair since he was fired by Portland 43 games into the 2011-12 season. Its a third chance for McMillan, who also coached Seattle and has been out of the first round only once. If that continues, that wont exactly appease the fan base in Indiana, which saw Frank Vogel jettisoned after winning 58 percent of his games in six seasons.---TOM THIBODEAU, Minnesota TimberwolvesThibodeau has one losing season as a head coach, and that was in 1984-85 -- at Salem State College in New Hampshire, his alma mater. That team allowed opponents to score 75.5 points per game and shoot 48 percent. Suffice to say, hes gotten a little better at the teaching of defense since. Its not disparaging to say Thibodeau is a hard coach to play for; he wears that as a badge of honor. But his five years as coach in Chicago were all winners, and he now has arguably the most talented core of young players in the league to mold.---FRANK VOGEL, Orlando MagicVogel had great teams in his six seasons at Indiana. It just so happened that in three of those years, his teams couldnt solve the Miami Heat in their Big Three era -- and then he lost Paul George for basically a full season to an awful broken leg. He gets a rebuilding project in Orlando, one that Scott Skiles couldnt solve in his one season there before walking away. Vogel will demand a defensive commitment, though doesnt do so at the expense of offense, either. And getting bounced by the Pacers may leave him feeling like hes got something to prove again.---LUKE WALTON, Los Angeles LakersDepending on whos counting, Waltons career record is either 0-0 or 39-4. Walton had great success as the fill-in for Steve Kerr in Golden State when his boss was sidelined while recovering from back surgeries last season, and even got some coach of the year votes -- an award that Kerr actually won. Hes only 36, which helps him relate to players. He has rings from being a Lakers player and a Warriors assistant, is the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton and understands the enormity of the task that awaits in the post-Kobe Bryant era in L.A. ' ' '