Joe Sacco tabbed to coach Team USA at World Championships

Joe Sacco will lead Team USA at the World Championships despite poor recent form with the Avalanche. (Tony Ding/Icon SMI) By Allan Muir If you listen to

Joe Sacco will lead Team USA at the World Championships despite poor recent form with the Avalanche. (Tony Ding/Icon SMI)

By Allan Muir

If you listen to Jean-Sebastien Giguere, his Colorado Avalanche teammates have been making off-season plans for weeks.

Now his coach has a trip of his own to look forward to.

Joe Sacco, coming off his third straight playoff DNQ with the Avs, has been tabbed by USA Hockey to helm Team USA at the upcoming World Championships.

Sacco is a veteran of the USA program, having served as an assistant coach at the 2009 and 2010 World Championships and skating for Team USA at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville.

Sweden and Finland are co-hosting this year's event. The Americans, who are playing in a group based in Helsinki, will face Austria in their opener on May 4.

Roster decisions are still at least 10 days away, but it's expected that Sacco will be guiding a young team that should see several NCAA players skating alongside NHL vets such as Paul Stastny, Matt Carle, Drew Stafford and Zach Bogosian.

Fans and media in Denver are lining up to drive Joe Sacco to the airport after another disappointing campaign for the Avs.