Mile High Sticking
Fansided

When was the last time the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup?

By Graham Tiedtke

Unknown Date, 2001; Uniondale, NY, USA; FILE PHOTO; Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic (19) in action against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Lou Capozzola-USA TODAY NETWORK
Unknown Date, 2001; Uniondale, NY, USA; FILE PHOTO; Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic (19) in action against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Lou Capozzola-USA TODAY NETWORK /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Colorado Avalanche can win the Stanley Cup on Friday, the first time since the early 2000’s.

The Colorado Avalanche could be lifting the Stanley Cup on Friday night. After a grilling postseason, it could all come to a conclusion if the team wins Game 5.

The Avalanche last won the Stanley Cup during the 2000-01 postseason. That team boasted iconic players such as Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk, Chris Drury, Alex Tanguay, Ray Bourque, and the current general manager of the team—Joe Sakic.

It was a year in which the Avalanche led the entire league with 118 points and were third in the league with 270 goals scored. Colorado was near the top of the entire NHL with 52 regular season wins and won 28 home games, which also led the league.

Joe Sakic was on a tear that season, finishing the season second in goals scored with 54 (Pavel Bure finished first with 59 for the Florida Panthers), fifth in assists with 64, and second in points with 118.

Just behind Sakic in the assist department was Forsberg with 62.

During that postseason, Sakic led the Avalanche in points and assists (13 in 21 games)

Throughout the playoffs, the Avalanche scored 69 goals and surrendered 41 on their path to a sweep of the Vancouver Canucks,

From my memory of that team, Sakic and Forsberg were like Batman and Robin. They were like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Well, minus the feud aspect. Instead, there were some friendly competitions between the two, which is always fun and a good chemistry builder.

A huge storyline from the last time the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup was the long-overdue accomplishment for Ray Bourque. Bourque retired just day following the championship victory after an illustrious career which was ultimately capped off with him being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame five years after retirement.

A long time coming for some Colorado Avalanche stars…

There are several members of the Avalanche that have been grinding since entering the league many years ago. Gabriel Landeskog, the team’s Left Winger, has been chasing a Stanley Cup since 2011, when he was the second overall pick.

Nathan Mackinnon, similarly, was a high draft pick, coming to the Avalanche with the first pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.

Following the team’s exit last postseason, Mackinnon sounded off during a postgame interview in which he expressed his frustration due to not winning a Stanley Cup up to that point in his career. Well, now is his time to finally get that achievement done.

Mackinnon’s goals (pun intended) and dreams could come true on Friday night. If not, the series would would still be in the Avalanche’s favour, as they would lead 3-2 instead of 4-1.

Home/History