Colorado Avalanche Decade in Review: 20 Memorable Moments

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 30: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a goal against the Florida Panthers with his bench at the Pepsi Center on October 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Panthers defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 30: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a goal against the Florida Panthers with his bench at the Pepsi Center on October 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Panthers defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
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DENVER, CO – MAY 28: (L-R) Josh Kroenke President and Governor of the Colorado Avalanche, Patrick Roy the new Head Coach/Vice President of Hockey Operations and Joe Sakic Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations pose fr a photo after Roy was introduced as their new head coach during a press conference at the Pepsi Center on May 28, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

2013-14 Basics

GM: Greg Sherman (Joe Sakic performed GM duties, but under the title of Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations.)
Coach: Patrick Roy (Shared GM duties with Sakic)
Captain: Gabriel Landeskog
Alternate Captains: Paul Stastny, Cody McLeod
Record: 52–22–8

The summer of 2013 was momentous. First, our player hero, Joe Sakic, took over the duties of general manager. One of his first acts was to hire another player hero, Patrick Roy, as head coach.

And then those two worthies went out and did a thing. A really good thing. They drafted Nathan MacKinnon.

Because of their bad 2012-13 season, Colorado was in the draft lottery. And they won! For the first time ever, Colorado selected first-overall. Sakic flirted with drafting Seth Jones, but Roy insisted on Nathan MacKinnon.

That Golden 2013-14 Season was a time of wonder for longtime Avs fans. We were so sure that we were going to see our team return to the greatness they deserved, especially with two Hockey Hall of Famers at the helm.

Sure enough, we seemed destined to returned to glory as the Why Not Us season saw the Avs return to the playoffs for the first time in four years. They not only returned to the playoffs, they won the Central Division!

Team leaders

Goals: Ryan O’Reilly (28)
Assists: Matt Duchene (47)
Points: Matt Duchene (70)
Penalty minutes: Cody McLeod (122)
Plus/minus: Gabriel Landeskog (+21)
Wins: Semyon Varlamov (41)