Latest Colorado Avalanche News

    Colorado Avalanche Franchise Information

    Have a read on below at some quick stats and facts on the Colorado Avalanche to get you started: 

    Established:1972
    Stadium:Ball Arena
    Colors:Burgundy, blue, silver & black
    Hall of Famers:Jari Kurri, Ray Bourque, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsburg, & Patrick Roy
    Hall of Fame Builders:None
    Rivals:Detroit Red Wings
    Legends: Jari Kurri, Ray Bourque, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsburg, Patrick Roy, Uwe Krupp, Claude Lemieux, Alex Tanguay, Rob Blake, Milan Hejduk & Adam Foote
    Retired Numbers:19, 21, 23, 33, 52 & 77
    Division:Central
    Stanley Cup Titles:3: 1995-96, 2000-01 & 2021-22

    Colorado Avalanche History

    Founded in 1972, originally known as the Quebec Nordiques, and playing in the World Hockey Association (WHA), where the club won a league final in 1977.

    In 1979, the Nordiques joined the National Hockey League (NHL), the club would initially do well in the league, consistently making playoffs year after year. This was not to last though, with the Nordiques experiencing a terrible string of failed seasons from 1987-1992. 

    The culmination of their failures was such that they were granted consecutive number 1 draft picks, which the club would use to great effect, strengthening their roster, and returning them to their winning ways.

    The Quebec based club moved to Colorado in 1995 and were renamed to the Avalanche by their acquirers, telecommunications group COMSAT. The deal was the result of financial issues stemming from the lack of market interest in Quebec, where the club had struggled to sustain itself despite their successes in the league.

    In their first season in Denver, the Avs managed to win their first major trophy, the Stanley Cup, becoming the only team to win the cup in their first year of expansion. 

    The Avs had a strong season that year, which saw them finish 1st in the Pacific division and 2nd in the Western Conference with a record of 47-25-10, however, during the playoffs, the Avs were dominant, winning each match 4-2, before clean sweeping the Florida Panthers 4-0 in the final.

    While there were many stars in the 1995/96 team, including the likes of Hall of Famers, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy, it was Joe Sakic who spearheaded the campaign, scoring 34 points in a string of legendary playoff performances, cementing himself as the greatest player to play for the club.

    Iconic not only for winning the championship that year, the 1995/96 season is also synonymous with the birth of the Avs rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings, which was the fiercest rivalry in the league at the time.

    Over the next few years the Avalanche would remain dominant during the regular season, finishing 1st in the division year after year but missing out on the Stanley Cup finals each time. 

    During all this domestic success, there was a lot going on behind closed doors with the management of the club. The ownership of the Avalanche changed hands multiple times over these years, eventually ending up in the hands of Denver real estate tycoon Stan Kroenke, in a deal worth half a billion dollars.

    In the season that followed Kroenkes’ acquisition, the 2000-01 campaign would be the most successful in the history of the Colorado Avalanche. Finishing the regular season with a record of 52–16–10–4, an all time club high. 

    The Avs proceeded to breeze through the playoff quarterfinals 4-0, in the semi-finals the Avalanche almost blew a 3-1 lead against the Los Angeles Kings, winning in 7. 

    After a convincing 4-1 win over the St Louis Blues in the Western Conference finals, the Avs would meet reigning Stanley Cup champions, the New Jersey Devils in the final. The final would take all 7 games to decide the winner, with the Avalanche beating the Devils 3-1 in the final game to lift the trophy.

    The Avalanche remained competitive in the years that followed the 2000/01 campaign, winning the division title for the next two seasons, setting the NHL record for consecutive division title wins by doing so.

    After the cancelation of the 2004/05 season, the NHL returned with a salary cap in place, forcing the Avs to move on some of their star players. The Avalanche failed to achieve the same success they had become accustomed to in the late 1990s and early 2000s, finishing mostly around the middle of the table, and never going far in the playoffs. 

    In 2009, Joe Sakic announced his retirement from NHL, ending a 21 year career with the Nordiques / Avalanche. Sakic remains the greatest player to represent the club, captaining the team to two Stanley Cup titles. Following his retirement, Sakic immediately moved into a managerial position within the club, serving as an adviser to operations.

    The 2010s didn’t see the Avs experience much more success than the previous decade, after a terrible 2012/13 season, club legend Patrick Roy was announced as the new head coach.

    The Avs would go on to finish 1st in the division in the following year, with a record of 52-22-8, however, they would slip back into mediocrity immediately after, failing to qualify for playoffs the following 3 seasons.

    Patrick Roy resigned as coach in 2016, with Jared Bednar announced as his replacement. Bednars’ timing was very unfortunate, with the start of the season not far away and little time to set the team up the way he had envisioned. The Avs went on to record their worst ever campaign, finishing the year with a record of 22-56-4, and only 48 points. 

    In the recent years following that disappointing season, the Avalanche have improved dramatically, making the playoffs each year, and managing a 2nd place division finish in the most recent campaign, proving Bednar is the right man for the job.

    After a dominant 2020-21 regular season which saw them claiming points at a .732 percentage and leading the NHL overall with 82 points, the Avalanche were ultimately sent packing by the Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs, marking their third consecutive second round exit.

    The 2021-22 campaign was a great one for the Colorado Avalanche. As they finished the year with a record of 56-19-7. They made the Stanley Cup Playoffs and went on to win the Stanley Cup. They finished in 1st place in the Central Division.

    Expert 2022-23 Picks & Preview on Colorado Avalanche

    If you are a fan of the Colorado Avalanche, then you know that the only thing that matters right now is how they are expected to perform in the 2022-23 season. Do the Colorado Avalanche have the star power to make it all the way to the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup in 2023?

    Have a read on below at SportsTips expert picks & preview on the Colorado Avalanche:

    Preview on the Colorado Avalanche’s Head Coach: Jared Bednar 

    Jared Bednar is entering his seventh season as the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche and he is coming off of a Stanley Cup winning campaign in 2021-22 after the Avalanche dethroned the two time champions the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Colorado Avalanche have won two straight division championships under his watch as well. They have also made the Stanley Cup playoffs in five of his six seasons as the head coach of the franchise. 

    Prior to coming to Colorado, he was the head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL and he led them to a championship as well in 2016. He is the winningest coach in the history of the Colorado Avalanche since they moved to Colorado, he is second all-time for the entire franchise. His career overall National Hockey League regular season record currently sits at 240-168-46 and his Stanley Cup playoff record is 40-23. 

    Preview on the Colorado Avalanche’s Key Player: Nathan MacKinnon

    Nathan MacKinnon is by far the best player on this Colorado Avalanche roster heading into the 2022-23 National Hockey League season. He is coming off of a solid campaign last season as he recorded 32 goals and 56 assists for a total of 78 points in 65 games played. The former number one overall draft pick will be entering his 10th season in the National Hockey League and he has spent the entire decade with the Colorado Avalanche. 

    Even after a shortened season on the ice for him last year, he came close to setting a career high in goals scored and assists as well. Throughout his career he has proven to be a dependable scorer and passer as he is on the verge of breaking into the top 10 players in the National Hockey League. He had an incredible postseason as he added 13 goals and 11 assists en route to a Stanley Cup. 

    Preview on the Colorado Avalanche’s Next Best: Mikko Rantanen

    Mikko Rantanen is the perfect wingman for MacKinnon as he is entering his seventh season in the National Hockey League and his seventh season as a member of the Colorado Avalanche as well. Last season he put 36 goals in the net and added 56 assists as well to finish with a total of 92 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs he contributed five goals and an incredible 20 assists in 20 games for the Stanley Cup winning Colorado Avalanche. 

    Last year he set a career high in goals scored and tied his career high in assists. He is a former all-star and he is just entering his prime, and will likely continue to be one of the best passers on the ice for the next five years at the very least. On the international side of the game, he has helped lead Finland to a silver medal, a fourth and fifth place finish in the Hockey World Championships in his last three appearances. 

    Colorado Avalanche Betting & Odds Preview 2022-23

    The Colorado Avalanche’s campaign during the 2021-22 National Hockey League season went about as you would’ve expected. They finished the year with a record of 56-19-7 and in 1st place in the Central Division.

    There is a lot of optimism surrounding the franchise heading into the 2022-23 National Hockey League season. If they want to improve or keep up their current level of play they will certainly need a ton of production from their stars over the course of the 2022-23 National Hockey League season. The most important thing in any season is how a team starts out of the gate, and then how they look when the all-star break approaches. 

    In the National Hockey League, a lot can change over a single off-season. It will be interesting to see how their offseason moves translate onto the ice over the course of the 2022-23 National Hockey League season. 

    They are set to play a full 82-game schedule for only the second time in the last four seasons thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on their odds to win some hardware headed into the season it is clear how the oddsmakers in Las Vegas feel about them heading into the year. 

    Their odds to bring home the Central Division championship this season currently sit at -165 heading into the 2022-23 National Hockey League season, which puts them first in the Central Division out of eight teams. 

    While their odds to win the Western Conference currently sit at +150 heading into the 2022-23 National Hockey League season, which puts them first in the Western Conference out of 16 teams. 

    Their overall odds to bring home the Stanley Cup trophy are currently sitting at +425 heading into the 2022-23 National Hockey League season, as they rank first out of all 32 teams in the National Hockey League.

    Colorado Avalanche FAQs

    Still got some burning questions about the Colorado Avalanche? Well, we have answered some of the most common questions people have, hopefully, you will find the answer you are looking for below! 

    Where do the Colorado Avalanche play?

    The Colorado Avalanche play their home games at Ball Arena.

    Who owns the Colorado Avalanche?

    The Colorado Avalanche are owned by Stan Kroenke.

    Have the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup?

    The Colorado Avalanche have won three Stanley Cup titles most recently in 2021-22.

    Who is the Colorado Avalanche general manager?

    Joe Sakic is the general manager of the Colorado Avalanche.

    Do the Colorado Avalanche play tonight?

    Are you wondering if the Colorado Avalanche are playing tonight? Well, SportsTips has all the details you need about upcoming Colorado Avalanche games! Make sure you check this page at the top for all the details you are looking for.

    What is the Colorado Avalanche record?

    The Colorado Avalanche had a 56-19-7 win-loss-overtime loss record for the 2021-22 NHL season. 

    Did the Colorado Avalanche win last night?

    Fans of the Colorado Avalanche are all wanting to know if they won the game last night. You can find more information in relation to the team’s recent form in games on the page at the top.

    How much are the Colorado Avalanche worth?

    According to Forbes Magazine, the Colorado Avalanche are worth $630 million. 

    Who do the Colorado Avalanche play tonight?

    Like a lot of things in the NHL, things change pretty quickly. So, if you are looking for more information about who the Colorado Avalanche play tonight, you have come to the right place. We have all this information for you in detail, you can find these details for upcoming games at the top of the page.

    How to watch the Colorado Avalanche?

    You can watch the Colorado Avalanche games on TV channels like Fox Sports West and the NHL Network such as NHL.TV.

    Will the Colorado Avalanche make the playoffs this year?

    While we do not yet know if the Colorado Avalanche will make the playoffs this year, they did make the playoffs in 2021-22 and won the title as well.

    Will the Colorado Avalanche get the 1st pick in the NHL draft?

    The Colorado Avalanche do not have the number one overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

    When do the Colorado Avalanche play?

    Colorado Avalanche fans are always looking for more information about when their team plays the next game. For all the information you have been craving and more, be sure to check the top of this page. Here at SportsTips, we list all the information you need like the time of the puck drop, location of the game and the all important NHL odds.

    Where did the Colorado Avalanche finish the season?

    The Colorado Avalanche finished the 2021-22 NHL season in 1st place in the Central Division.

    How many games did the Colorado Avalanche win?

    The Colorado Avalanche won 56 games during the 2021-22 NHL season.