How many Stanley Cups have the Colorado Avalanche won?
Just how many Stanley Cups have the Colorado Avalanche won in their existence?
The Colorado Avalanche are formerly of Quebec as they were called the Quebec Nordiques from 1972 to 1995. That’s the year they made the move to the mid-west United States.
During their time in Quebec, they saw the playoffs 14 times, including five in the WHA.
From 1995 to 2000, the Avalanche made the playoffs in 10-straight seasons (excluding the 2004-05 season in which there was a lockout. Their first season was bigger and better than anyone could have hoped for.
Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in their inaugural season…
That’s right: In the 1995-96 season, the first year of the Colorado Avalanche, The Stanley Cup was awarded to Marc Crawford and Co. after they scored 80 goals throughout the postseason while surrendering 49.
The Avalanche finished the postseason with five consecutive victories. They closed out the series against the Detroit Red Wings with a 4-1 win and then swept the Florida Panthers. The Stanley Cup took longer to achieve in Game 4 of the Final because it went into FOUR overtimes.
Finally, after 56 total shots, Uwe Krupp gets the game-winner to pass through the net.
Through the 1995-96 season, Peter Forsberg, who was drafted by the Flyers in 1991 and then acquired in a trade, played in all 82 games and scored 30 goals, which is tied for the most of his career. He scored 30 goals in 1998-99 as well. During the team’s first Stanley Cup season, Forsberg had 116 points, which was second on the team to Joe Sakic’s 120.
1995 was the start of what has turned into a historic franchise in Denver, Colorado.
Colorado Avalanche again win just a handful of seasons later…
The next time the Stanley Cup went to the Avalanche was during the 2000-01 season. That team consisted of so many superstars including Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, and Patrick Roy.
That season, the Avalanche finished with 99 points and a 52–16–10 record.
During the regular season, the Avalanche put together several 3-game win-streaks, as well as some 4-game win-streaks. After starting the season with two ties, the team won nine-straight games, improving their record to 9-0-2. In that span, the team scored 33 goals and gave up just 12.
The division race was a close one, but the Avalanche came out on top of the Western Conference with a three-game lead, winning 52 regular season games. In the Northwest division, with the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota Wild, and Calgary Flames, the Avalanche finished With a 13-game lead in first place.
That season, the Avalanche and their players won quite a few awards:
- President’s Trophy (most points during the regular season)
- Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Western Conference playoffs Champs)
- Conn Smythe (Patrick Roy — MVP of the playoffs)
- Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP of the league — Joe Sakic)
- King Clancy Memorial Trophy (player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. —Shjon Podein).
- Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (awarded to the “player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability”. — Joe Sakic)
- Lester B. Pearson Award (awarded to the “most outstanding player during the regular season. — Joe Sakic)
During this season, three Avalanche players were honoured as All-Stars: Joe Sakic (First All-Star Team), Ray Bourque (Second All-Star team), and Rob Blake (Second All-Star Team).
Colorado Avalanche are your 2021-22 Stanley Cup Champions!
It has been a while since the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup prior to this past season. Since then, the team got to the postseason 12 out of 20 years. They missed out on the postseasaon eight times, including two streaks of three playoff-less years.
The Avalanche hired Jared Bednar on August 25, 2016 after just a small handful of years with Patrick Roy as head coach. Roy ended up resigning on August 11th of the same year.
That being said, 2021-22 was a magical season for the team.
The year didn’t start off the best, as the team won half and lost half of their first eight games to start the year (in October).
Nathan MacKinnon scored just four goals in the team’s first 20 games to start the season, but had 29 assists during that span. The team was 12-8 in the first part of the year.
Colorado went the whole month of January without a loss and tied in one game during that span of 16 games, which is incredible in itself. The stretch included 10 home and six away matchups.
The Avalanche had some good stretches during the season, the first coming on November 11 against the Vancouver Canucks. They won 7-1 in that game. Over their next five games, the Avalanche outscored their opponents 29-14, winning all of them.
Something the team proved in this season is that they have young star talent. Including Mikko Rantanen (25) and Cale Makar (23). Oh, by the way, Nathan MacKinnon is only 26 and on the verge of a massive contract extension.
What made the season special is not only their regular season, but the fact that they went 16-4 during the playoffs, including a sweep of the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers. Colorado outscored those teams 43-25 in eight games.
The team then faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning won the previous two Stanley Cups and were on the search to make it three in a row. The Avalanche were able to fend them off in six games, however, in a 4-2 win in Tampa Bay.
Cale Makar was named to the All-Star game, and won several awards, including the Conn Smythe and James Norris Memorial trophy.
The series was one for the ages and the Avalanche’s victory made all of Avalanche Territory proud. Their goal will now be to be repeat Stanley Cup Champions.