Mile High Milestones for the Colorado Avalanche in 2014
The Colorado Avalanche is a relatively young team. I don’t just mean the players’ ages — it’s well known the core of the Avs is on the young side. The Avalanche in its current Colorado configuration is only in its 19th year.
Nonetheless, some Colorado Avalanche players reached big milestones in 2014. Some were centered on hockey, some were even Avalanche-centric. Either way, let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the Mile High milestone from our Avalanche players last season.
Daniel Briere, 300th Goal
Colorado Avalanche center Daniel Briere scored his 300th career goal against the Boston Bruins. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
On October 13, forward Daniel Briere scored his 300th career goal in a game against the Boston Bruins. 300 goals is a lot in such a defense-minded NHL, and it took Briere 17 seasons to get to that mark.
Better yet, it wasn’t just any ho-hum goal. Briere scored with just half a second left in the game — half a second, not minute. Officials had to review the goal against the clock to ensure the puck crossed the line before the last second had ticked away.
Not only that, but the goal proved to be the game winner. The teams were just half a second away from overtime hockey, but Briere’s goal changed that fact. Not only that, but the win was the Avalanche’s first for the season.
The goal came from the Colorado defense driving the net, in this case Jan Hejda firing a shot at Boston goalie Niklas Svedberg. Briere deflected the puck into the net.
Daniel Briere is the 185th player in NHL history to score 300+ goals in his career.He said of the feat:
“Hopefully there’s many more to come. But it’s always a good feeling to find a loose puck like that late in the game and get a big win.”
Since that mark, he’s added six more goals to his total.
Brad Stuart, 1000 Games
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brad Stuart has played in over 1,000 regular-season games. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
In his 15th NHL season, defenseman Brad Stuart achieved playing in 999 regular-season games. However, he suffered a hamstring injury in game 999, keeping him out for six weeks. That means he had to wait around for six weeks before reaching the important milestone of 1,000 NHL regular season games on December 18.
The Colorado Avalanche faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh for that game. The Avalanche lost 1-0 in overtime, unfortunately.
Stuart played a lively game, though. He recorded an impressive four shots on net — the Avalanche had 29 total, compared to 48 for the Penguins. Stuart also spent a couple minutes in the penalty box for tripping Evgeni Malkin.
According to the Denver Post, Stuart said of the honor:
“It’s something I can be proud of. There’s a lot of guys in this league, but a small percentage of them get lucky enough to play in this many games. It’s something I can be proud of when my career is over. Right now, it’s not that important. We have to start winning some games.”
Stuart is the 100th defenseman and 293rd player to achieve that milestone. Six other players have earned that achievement while wearing an Avs sweater — Adam Foote, Todd Gill, Ian Laperriere, Milan Hejduk and the greats, Patirck Roy and Joe Sakic. Sakic and Hejduk played all their games for the franchise.
The Colorado Avalanche honored Stuart in the traditional way, by awarding him a silver hockey stick before their home game against the St. Louis Blues December 23.
Cody McLeod, 500 Games
Colorado Avalanche left wing Cody McLeod has battled through 500 games for the Avalanche. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Avalanche gave a 22-year-old ginger a chance to play in the NHL eight years ago. That energy playing ginger, Cody McLeod, has sure made good. He’s a solid fourth line guy, to be sure. However, he also happens to be one of the Colorado Avalanche’s alternate captains.
McLeod played his first game in 2006. He scored his first goal against a legend, Dominik Hasek in a Detroit Red Wings jersey, on December 27, 2007. His 500th career game came against those self-same Red Wings.
The year 2014 was also the year McLeod earned his 1,000th penalty minute. In a contentious game against divisional opponents the Winnipeg Jets, Cody McLeod threw down with Winnipeg tough guy Anthony Peluso. He earned a 10 minute misconduct for the play. Within those 10 minutes came his 1,000th career penalty minute — in a move meant to fire his team up.
Fitting for a gladiator such as McLeod, whose games — and penalty minutes — have all come in the name of the Colorado Avalanche.
Alex Tanguay, 500 Avalanche Games
Colorado Avalanche left wing Alex Tanguay has played 500 games in burgundy and blue. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Avalanche used a first-round draft pick — 12th overall — on a youngster named Alex Tanguay back in 1998. He was a draftee well chosen. Tanguay spent his first six seasons with the Colorado Avalanche. He maintained a consistent presence all that time and was known for being one of the “young core” of the team. (Sound familiar?)
Now, after a couple stints with the Calgary Flames and a couple other dalliances, Tanguay has returned to the Avalanche a grizzled veteran. His impact last season was seriously limited due to injuries. However, he’s showing the Avs Nation this season what they were missing. He currently leads the team in goals with 12 and is second only to Jarome Iginla in points.
On December 29, the Avalanche played the Blues in St. Louis, and that marked Tanguay’s 500th in burgundy and blue. He’s at 975 regular-season games in the NHL. He’s tantalizingly close to another mark as well, with 798 regular-season points.
And then there’s the post-season. The Colorado Avalanche will always remember Tanguay fondly for being Mr. Clutch and scoring the Cup-Winning goal against the New Jersey Devils in 2001.
Tanguay smiles at that memory, joking, “I wanted to score more!” With the way he’s going, it looks likely he will.