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Colorado Avalanche Decade in Review: 20 Memorable Moments

ByNadia Archuleta|
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 – APRIL 15: Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche holds his first career NHL goal that he scored in his first NHL game against the Calgary Flames in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 15, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Flames 6-2. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

20. Memorable Moment: Cale Makar Scores in NHL Debut — in the Playoffs!

This is a little out of order, but I wanted to end on a high note. Before the Tyson Barrie trade, Cale Makar took the UMass Minutemen to their first-ever Frozen Four and championship game, won the Hobey Baker Award for best collegiate player, and signed his first NHL contract.

This all happened in the span of about 72 hours. So, you could have forgiven the then-20-year-old if he needed a minute to get his NHL legs. Especially since he was making his debut in the playoffs. (Against his childhood favorite team no less!)

Well, he did need a minute — a literal minute. In the first period of his first NHL game, he scored on his first shot:

Nathan MacKinnon says the cheeky kid (my words) was hollering for the puck, so he sailed it his way to see what he’d do. And that do was score! I was at the game that night, and the noise in Pepsi Center was deafening.

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