Fansided

Highlighting key Colorado Avalanche players from the past: Peter Forsberg

By Sean McKenna |
ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 21: Peter Forsberg #21 of the Colorado Avalanche watches the puck rebound after Richard Park #18 of the Minnesota Wild laid down to block the shot in game six of the first round of the 2003 Western Conference Stanley Cup playoffs on April 21, 2003 at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images/NHLI)
ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 21: Peter Forsberg #21 of the Colorado Avalanche watches the puck rebound after Richard Park #18 of the Minnesota Wild laid down to block the shot in game six of the first round of the 2003 Western Conference Stanley Cup playoffs on April 21, 2003 at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images/NHLI)

*This continues a series that will highlight certain impact players from each of the past Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup-winning teams. This weekly series will dive into both stars and lesser-name players, and should reprise some of the glory of past champions*

Every Colorado Avalanche fan has heard the name Peter Forsberg. Their familiarity with him is likely of varying degrees, but everyone knows his name—and they should. We’ve discussed franchise pillars, impactful players on the Avalanche’s successes in Colorado, and this cannot be completely explained without discussing number 21.

Peter Forsberg was a 6’0” 205-pound phenom from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. After scoring 31 points in seven games in the 1993 World Junior Championship, the center was drafted in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1991 NHL entry draft by Philadelphia, although he would not play a game with Philadelphia until 2005. For a bit of trivia, Forsberg was one of the players involved in the Eric Lindros trade from Quebec.

Philly’s loss was Colorado’s gain. Forsberg played one season in Quebec, scoring 35 points in 47 games as a Nordique and winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. When Quebec moved the team to Colorado and they became the Avalanche, Forsberg’s career really took off.

Part of the reason MHS is writing this series is to highlight players who played vital roles in Stanley Cup triumphs, the greatest moments in Colorado Avalanche history. This series would not be complete without Peter Forsberg and his 1995-1996 season.

After stepping into the shallow end in Quebec, Forsberg dove headfirst into the deep end in the franchise’s first year in Colorado, playing all 82 games. Forsberg scored 30 goals and had 86(!) assists for 116 points that season, far and away his greatest NHL season.

Forsberg continued his torrid pace in the playoffs, scoring 21 points in 22 games while helping to lead the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup championship, a 4-0 sweep of the Florida Panthers.

Forsberg continued to torch the NHL over the next few seasons, scoring over 86 points in four of the next five seasons. In 2000-01 Forsberg finished with 89 points on 27 goals and 62 assists. During the playoffs, he started hot with 14 points in his first 11 games, but then had his spleen removed before the Western Conference Finals against Los Angeles and was forced to miss the remainder of the playoffs. The Avalanche persevered and hoisted the franchise’s second Stanley Cup, defeating the New Jersey Devils in seven games, four wins to three.

Without Forsberg’s contributions to get the team to that position, they never would have had an opportunity to hoist the second Stanley Cup in team history.

Forsberg took the next season off to recuperate and get healthy from injuries that had begun to take a toll on his career. They would follow him until he retired.

In 2002-03 Forsberg had yet another banner year, playing 75 games and scoring 106 points. Those numbers were good enough to win him both the Art Ross Trophy (most points scored by an individual player) as well as the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s most valuable player. This season unfortunately was for naught, as the Avalanche lost in the playoffs.

Injuries caught up with Peter as he never played another season of more than 60 games.

Over his career, Forsberg never had a minus season (on the ice for goals scored against) and was a plus-238 for his career (on the ice for 238 more goals scored than against).

In 2014 Forsberg was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

When I think of Avalanche hockey I think of three guys: Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, and Peter Forsberg. I’m sure I’m not alone in that sentiment.

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