Colorado Avalanche

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Colorado Avalanche
Conference	Western
Division	Northwest
Founded	1972
History	Québec Nordiques 1972 - 1995 Colorado Avalanche 1995 - present
Arena	Pepsi Center
City	Denver, Colorado
Local Media Affiliates	Altitude KKFN (950 AM)
Team Colors	Burgundy, White, Silver, and Blue
Owner	Stan Kroenke
General Manager	François Giguère
Head Coach	Joel Quenneville
Captain	Joe Sakic
Minor League Affiliates	Albany River Rats (AHL) Arizona Sundogs (CHL)
Stanley Cups	1995-96, 2000-01
Conference Championships	1995-96, 2000-01
Division Championships	1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03

The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents 1 Franchise history 2 Season-by-season record 3 Notable players 3.1 Current roster 3.2 Team captains 3.3 Hall of Famers 3.4 Retired numbers 3.5 First-round draft picks 4 NHL awards and trophies 5 Franchise individual records 6 References 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Franchise history

See also: Quebec Nordiques

The Quebec Nordiques were one of the World Hockey Association's original teams when the league began play in 1972. Though first awarded to a group in San Francisco, the team quickly moved to Quebec City when the California deal soured due to financial and arena problems. During their seven WHA seasons, the Nordiques won the Avco World Trophy once, in 1977. Two years later, in 1979, they entered the NHL, along with the WHA's Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, and Winnipeg Jets.

After making the postseason for seven consecutive years, 1981 to 1987, the Nordiques fell into the league's basement. In 1991, for the third straight draft, Quebec had the first overall selection. Although Eric Lindros, the draft's top-ranked player, repeatedly said he would never play in Quebec City (he said was anti-Francophone), they drafted him anyway. "The Big E" would not wear the Nordiques jersey when it was presented to him, only holding it for press photographs. On advice from his mother, Lindros refused to sign a contract and began a holdout that would last over a year. On June 30, 1992, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for five players, the rights to Swedish prospect Peter Forsberg, two first-round draft picks, and $15 million (USD). Quickly, Quebec would become a Stanley Cup contender. The Lindros trade is now seen by many to be one of the most one-sided in sports history due to Lindros' injuries and falling out with the Flyers eight years later, as well as the success enjoyed by the Quebec/Colorado franchise for the next decade.

While the team experienced on-ice success, off-ice financial failure during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 NHL season forced team owner Marcel Aubut to ask for a bailout from Quebec's provincial government. The bailout fell through and Aubut subsequently sold the team to a group of investors in Denver. The franchise moved to Colorado following the 1995 season, where they were renamed the Colorado Avalanche.

Led by captain Joe Sakic, Forsberg and defensive stalwart Adam Foote, Colorado entered their first season in Denver with a very strong lineup. Still, few could anticipate the midseason trade that would make them a true power. On December 2, 1995, during an 11-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens coach Mario Tremblay kept goaltender Patrick Roy in net for the first nine goals. After finally being pulled from the game, Roy told team president Ronald Corey it was the last game he would ever play for the Canadiens. Four days later, Roy was traded to Colorado along with Mike Keane for Andrei Kovalenko, Martin Rucinsky, and Jocelyn Thibault, who had been chosen with one of the first-rounders acquired in the Lindros deal. When the Avs and Habs played each other a few weeks later, Roy won 5-2 in a Colorado uniform. He added a final insult by flipping the puck at Tremblay when the game ended, and claimed,

"It made me feel so good. It was a mistake, but I don't regret it. I'm an emotional person. I know it sometimes gets me in trouble, but I know it sometimes helps me to play better too."

^{[citation needed]}

Ironically, Roy was a Quebec City native who had allegedly vowed not to play for the Nordiques (but he would play for the Avalanche). In the 1996 playoffs, it didn't matter that Montreal lost in the quarterfinals, because behind strong goaltending from Roy and a Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance from Sakic, after beating the Detroit Red Wings in a classic six-game series in the Western Conference Final, the Avs would roll to the Stanley Cup Final to meet the Florida Panthers. In the third overtime of game four, defenseman Uwe Krupp scored to claim the franchise's first Cup. Roy's promise to his teammates: "No more rats" (Florida right-winger Scott Mellanby had popularized the throwing of plastic rats earlier that season whenever the Cats scored) held true.

Colorado would lose a Western Conference Final rematch to the rival Red Wings in 1997, despite winning the coveted Presidents' Trophy for best regular-season record, and over the next three seasons, the team only made it past the second round once. Then March 6, 2000, the Boston Bruins traded future Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque and forward Dave Andreychuk to Colorado for Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson, and a first-round draft pick. Bourque, who had been a Bruin since 1979-80, requested a trade to a contender for one last shot at a Stanley Cup. The Avs, however, would lose to the Dallas Stars in the Conference Final.

In 2000-01, the Avs would once again strengthen their defense for a run at the Cup. On February 21, 2001, they acquired star defenseman Rob Blake and defensive center Steven Reinprecht from the Los Angeles Kings for Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller. Colorado would win the Presidents' Trophy again, with a 52-16-10-4, 118-point record, and looked like they would fulfill their mission — they'd dedicated 00-01 to getting Bourque a ring. They were dealt a blow, however, when Peter Forsberg had emergency spleen surgery after their second-round series against the Kings. Forsberg would miss the rest of the playoffs. The Avalanche would meet the defending champion New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Final. The Devils, who played in Colorado as the Rockies from 1976-82, took a 3-2 series onto home ice for game six. Colorado would win 4-0 and then take game seven back in Colorado by a score of 3-1. Goalie Patrick Roy won his record third Conn Smythe Trophy, but all eyes were on Bourque after the game. Joe Sakic was handed the Cup from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, and in a true show of class, immediately gave the Stanley Cup to Ray Bourque, capping off his 22-year career with his only championship.

Colorado has not been able to capture that moment of glory since 2001. After falling to Detroit in the 2002 Conference Final, the Avs would blow a 3-1 series lead on the Minnesota Wild in the first-round of the 2003 playoffs, losing in overtime of Game 7. In the 2003 offseason, Patrick Roy would announce his retirement. Later, on July 1, Colorado shocked the hockey world when they signed star wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selänne from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Despite Roy's departure, the Avs would become the NHL favorite to win the 2004 Cup almost immediately after the signings, but Kariya and Selänne failed to live up to expections and the hype surrounding their acquisitions. For the first time since 1994-95, the Avs failed to win their division, ending an NHL-record eight consecutive division titles.

After the 2004-05 NHL lockout and the implementation of a salary cap, the Avalanche lost Forsberg and Foote to free agency with the hope of keeping Sakic (whose contract would expire after the following season) and other key players. In a money-saving effort to replace the two, veterans Pierre Turgeon and Patrice Brisebois were signed, though many knew they could not fill the shoes of Forsberg and Foote. The team struggled at times in 2005-06, but surprising seasons from rookie Marek Svatos and other young players led to a first-round upset of Dallas. At the 2006 trade deadline, general manager Pierre Lacroix made a questionable trade, sending goalie David Aebischer, who had recovered from some early-season difficulties to reassert himself as the starter, to the Montreal Canadiens for struggling, former Hart and Vezina Trophy-winning netminder Jose Theodore. Avalanche fans and hockey analysts alike questioned the move, while some wondered if Lacroix was attempting the same kind of trade he made eleven years earlier, when he acquired Roy from the Habs.

A day after the Avalanche were swept in the second round by the Ducks, Lacroix resigned and François Giguère was hired.

On June 20, Joe Sakic was re-signed to a one-year contract. Four days later at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, the Avs traded Alex Tanguay to the rival Calgary Flames for defenseman Jordan Leopold — he had fallen out of favor with Flames GM/then-coach Darryl Sutter. Rob Blake left for his former team, the Los Angeles Kings, and forward Dan Hinote also moved on, signing with the St. Louis Blues, leaving Sakic and Milan Hejduk as the only two remaining members since the 2001 Cup team. Sakic is the only player left from the team's days in Quebec, but prospect Paul Stastny, son of Nordiques legend Peter Stastny, also provides a link to the past.

After a record 487 consecutive games, the NHL's longest consecutive attendance sellout ended with the Avalanche on October 16, 2006 after a reported attendance of 17,681 which was 326 under capacity at the Pepsi Center before an Avalanche-Chicago Blackhawks game, which the Hawks ultimately won 5-4. The streak began on November 9, 1995, the Avalanche's eighth regular season home game during the 1995-96 NHL season, before a sellout of 16,061 at the McNichols Sports Arena versus the Dallas Stars.

[edit] Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Records as of November 15, 2006. ^[1]

Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Finish	Playoffs
1995-96	82	47	25	10	—	104	326	240	1536	1st, Pacific	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Canucks) Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-2 (Blackhawks) Won in Conference Finals, 4-2 (Red Wings) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-0 (Panthers)
1996-97	82	49	24	9	—	107	277	205	1361	1st, Pacific	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Blackhawks) Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-1 (Oilers) Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Red Wings)
1997-98	82	39	26	17	—	95	231	205	1729	1st, Pacific	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-4 (Oilers)
1998-99	82	44	28	10	—	98	239	205	1619	1st, Northwest	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Sharks) Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-2 (Red Wings) Lost in Conference Finals, 3-4 (Stars)
1999-00	82	42	28	11	1	96	233	201	1118	1st, Northwest	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Coyotes) Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-1 (Red Wings) Lost in Conference Finals, 3-4 (Stars)
2000-01	82	52	16	10	4	118	270	192	1138	1st, Northwest	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-0 (Canucks) Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-3 (Kings) Won in Conference Finals, 4-1 (Blues) Stanley Cup Champions, 4-3 (Devils)
2001-02	82	45	28	8	1	99	212	169	1007	1st, Northwest	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-3 (Kings) Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-3 (Sharks) Lost in Conference Finals, 3-4 (Red Wings)
2002-03	82	42	19	13	8	105	251	194	1084	1st, Northwest	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-4 (Wild)
2003-04	82	40	22	13	7	100	236	198	1293	2nd, Northwest	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Stars) Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2-4 (Sharks)
2004-051	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2005-062	82	43	30	—	9	95	283	257	1293	2nd, Northwest	Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Stars) Lost in Conference Semifinals, 0-4 (Mighty Ducks)
2006-07	18	7	9	-	2	16	55	56	203
Totals	820	443	246	101	29	1072	2558	2066	13053	—

¹ Season was cancelled due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

² As of the 2005-06 NHL season, all games tied after regulation will be decided in a shootout; SOL (Shootout losses) will be recorded as OTL in the standings.

[edit] Notable players

[edit] Current roster

As of November 13, 2006. [1]

Goaltenders
#		Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth
31		Peter Budaj	L	2001	Banská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia
60		José Théodore	R	2006	Laval, Quebec

Defensemen
#		Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
2		Ken Klee	R	2006	Indianapolis, Indiana
3		Kārlis Skrastiņš	L	2003	Riga, Latvia
4		John-Michael Liles	L	2000	Zionsville, Indiana
5		Brett Clark	L	2002	Wapella, Saskatchewan
27		Ossi Väänänen	L	2004	Vantaa, Finland
34		Kurt Sauer	L	2004	St. Cloud, Minnesota
44		Jordan Leopold (IR)	L	2006	Golden Valley, Minnesota
71		Patrice Brisebois	R	2005	Montreal, Quebec

Forwards
#		Player	Position	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
8		Wojtek Wolski	LW	L	2004	Zabrze, Poland
10		Brad May (IR)	LW	L	2005	Toronto, Ontario
11		Cody McCormick (IR)	RW	R	2001	London, Ontario
12		Brad Richardson	C	L	2003	Belleville, Ontario
14		Ian Laperriere - A	RW	R	2004	Montreal, Quebec
15		Andrew Brunette - A	LW	L	2005	Sudbury, Ontario
19		Joe Sakic - C	C	L	1987	Burnaby, British Columbia
20		Mark Rycroft	RW	R	2006	Penticton, British Columbia
23		Milan Hejduk	RW	R	1994	Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia
24		Antti Laaksonen	LW	L	2004	Tammela, Finland
26		Paul Stastny	C	L	2006	Quebec City, Quebec
39		Tyler Arnason	C	L	2006	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
40		Marek Svatoš	RW	R	2001	Košice, Czechoslovakia
53		Brett McLean	C	L	2004	Comox, British Columbia
87		Pierre Turgeon (IR)	C	L	2005	Rouyn, Quebec

[edit] Team captains

Note: This list of team captains does not include captains from the Quebec Nordiques (WHA &NHL).

• Joe Sakic, 1995 - present
• Sylvain Lefebvre, 1997-98 (interim)

[edit] Hall of Famers

• Ray Bourque, D, 2000-01, inducted 2004
• Michel Goulet, F, 1979-90, inducted 1998
• Patrick Roy, G, 1995-03, inducted 2006
• Peter Stastny, F, 1980-90, inducted 1998

Note: Both Goulet and Stastny played in Québec.

[edit] Retired numbers

• 33 Patrick Roy, G, 1995-2003, number retired October 28, 2003
• 77 Ray Bourque, D, 2000-01, number retired November 24, 2001

Quebec also retired the number 3 of Jean-Claude (J.C.) Tremblay (D, 1972-79), the number 8 of Marc Tardif (LW, 1974-83), the number 16 of Michel Goulet (F, 1979-90), and the number 26 of Peter Stastny (F, 1980-90), but these numbers have been restored to circulation by Colorado.

[edit] First-round draft picks

Note: This list does not include selections of the Quebec Nordiques.

• 1995: Marc Denis (25th overall)
• 1996: Peter Ratchuk (25th overall)
• 1997: Kevin Grimes (26th overall)
• 1998: Alex Tanguay (12th overall), Martin Skoula (17th overall), Robyn Regehr (19th overall), & Scott Parker (20th overall)
• 1999: Mikhail Kuleshov (25th overall)
• 2000: Vaclav Nedorost (14th overall)
• 2001: None
• 2002: Jonas Johansson (28th overall)
• 2003: None
• 2004: Wojtek Wolski (21st overall)
• 2005: None
• 2006: Chris Stewart (18th overall)

[edit] NHL awards and trophies

[edit] Franchise individual records

• Most Goals in a season: Michel Goulet, 57 (1982-83)
• Most Assists in a season: Peter Stastny, 93 (1981-82)
• Most Points in a season: Peter Stastny, 139 (1981-82)
• Most Penalty Minutes in a season: Gord Donnelly, 301 (1987-88)
• Most Points in a season, defenseman: Steve Duchesne, 82 (1992-93)
• Most Points in a season, rookie: Peter Stastny, 109 (1980-81)
• Most Wins in a season: Patrick Roy, 40 (2000-01)
• Most Shutouts in a season: Patrick Roy, 9 (2001-02)

[edit] References

1. ^ Hockeydb.com, Colorado Avalanche season statistics and records

[edit] See also

• List of Colorado Avalanche players
• Head Coaches of the Colorado Avalanche
• Quebec Nordiques
• List of NHL players
• List of NHL seasons
• List of Stanley Cup champions

[edit] External links

• Official website of the Colorado Avalanche
• Unofficial fan site

Colorado Avalanche Head Coaches
Crawford • Hartley • Granato • Quenneville