My Old Avs: a lineup comprised of the oldest players to ever play for the Colorado Avalanche

A few notes and stipulations before proceeding:
1. The age of the player represents the oldest age the player was when they last played for the Avalanche. So, for example, while Joe Sakic technically retired at age 40, he last played at age 39, so he will be listed at 39.
2. No Nordiques players are incorporated on this list, so no 39-year-old Guy Lafleur, sorry.
3. The oldest players will appear on the top lines; in the event of players having the same age, it will default to skill level and impact made on the Avs.
4. These kinds of lineups often ignore a player's position, choosing to focus solely on "forward" "defenseman" and "goalie," but this lineup aims to correctly list players for each position who primarily played said position.

Forwards

First Line: Zach Parise, Joe Sakic, Jarome Iginla

Zach Parise, 39
Avalanche: 2023-24 | 30GP, 5G, 5 A, 10P
NHL Career: 2005-06 - 2023-24 | 1,254GP, 434G, 455A, 889P

Parise, who signed with the Avs after sitting out the first half of the 2023-24 season, played 19 seasons in the NHL. He was unable to win a Stanley Cup during his time with the New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, and Colorado Avalanche; his best shot at the Cup came in 2012 as a Devil, but they ultimately lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Los Angeles Kings.

While his legacy as an NHLer is inexorably tied to how poorly his contract aged, alongside Ryan Suter's, as a member of the Wild, he is undoubtedly one of the best American-born players of the 2000s. He followed in the footsteps of his late, NHL-alum father, Jean-Paul Parisé, through his commitment to the sport and the hockey community.

Joe Sakic, 39
NHL Career: 1988-89 - 2008-09 | 1,378GP, 625G, 1,016A, 1,641P

There's no one more important and more directly-linked to the Colorado Avalanche organization than Joe Sakic. As one of the best players to ever play the sport of hockey, "Super Joe" led the team in its relocation from Québec City to Denver, and he's been with the team, in some capacity, ever since. He currently serves as the President of Hockey Operations for the Avs, working closely alongside General Manager Chris MacFarland.

Perhaps most impressively, out of all retired NHLers, there are only four players — Nicklas Lidström, Alex Delvecchio, and Steve Yzerman with the Detroit Red Wings and Shane Doan with the the Utah Mammoth organization (that feels weird) — who have spent more time with the same team (and only that team) across their entire career. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Jarome Iginla, 39
Avalanche: 2014-15 - 2016-17 | 225GP, 59G, 65A, 124P
NHL Career: 1996-97 - 2016-17 | 1,554GP, 625G, 675A, 1,300P

Iginla was a frequent foe for the Colorado Avalanche; he played for the Calgary Flames from 1996-2013, and for all but two of those seasons, the Flames and the Avs played in the same division: the now-defunct Northwest Division. Out of all of the then-30 teams in the league when Iginla played in the NHL, he put up the ninth-most points against the Avs, despite playing almost 15% of his career with them.

His time in Colorado was the longest time spent anywhere outside of Calgary, and he was a veteran presence and a mentor to then-still-developing stars Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen. Iginla was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020, and he currently sits 38th all-time in points in the NHL. His three children, Jade, Tij, and Joe, are all making names for themselves in the hockey world; Tij was the first-ever draft pick by the Utah Mammoth (then known as the Utah Hockey Club).

Second Line: Andrew Cogliano, Dale Hunter, Milan Hejduk

Andrew Cogliano, 37
Avalanche: 2021-22 - 2023-24 | 172GP, 16G, 23A, 39P
NHL Career: 2007-08 - 2023-24 | 1,294GP, 190G, 274A, 464P

Cogliano is the epitome of someone who loves the game of hockey. He averaged more than a point-per-game at both the junior and collegiate levels, and this led to a first-round selection, 25th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. The expectation was that he'd be a serious points-producer at the NHL level. But, to his credit, as the goal-scoring became harder to find, he adjusted, becoming a reliable bottom-six player who was loved by teammates and fans alike.

His dedication to the sport — which included an ironman streak of 830 games (ended as a result of the only suspension of his career) — was rewarded in 2022 when he helped the Avs claim the Stanley Cup. So beloved is Cogliano, and so appreciated for his many hard-working years in the NHL, that he was the third Avs player to hoist the Stanley Cup, with only team captain Gabriel Landeskog and then-longest-tenured Av Erik Johnson getting to do so before him. It was his only Cup win in 17 NHL seasons. He now serves as Special Assistant to Avs' GM Chris MacFarland.

Dale Hunter, 39
Avalanche/Nordiques: 1980-81 - 1986-87; 1998-99 | 535GP, 142G, 322A, 464P, 1,562PIM
NHL Career: 1980-81 - 1998-99 | 1,407GP, 323G, 697A, 1,020P, 3,565PIM

Hunter began his career as a member of the Quebec Nordiques. He was signed by the Nords 41st overall in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, and he spent the first seven years of his pro career in "La Vieille Capitale." He made a farewell tour stop as a member of the Colorado Avalanche, ending his career at age 39 as an Avs with 12 games logged during the 1998-99 season.

Hunter, who was as much a scoring threat as he was a fear-inducing physical presence, is a notable Hockey Hall of Fame snub, largely due to never winning any personal accolades, never winning the Stanley Cup in his 19 seasons as an NHLer, and three total suspensions, including a 21-game suspension for a cheap shot on Pierre Turgeon (featured later on this list).

Milan Hejduk, 37
NHL Career: 1998-99 - 2012-13 | 1,020GP, 375G, 430A, 805P

One of the players most synonymous with the Colorado Avalanche is Milan Hejduk, who spent his entire career playing in the burgundy and blue. This commitment to both the club and the game of hockey helped "The Duke" earn the Avalanche captaincy, for one season — his penultimate season: 2011-12 — as team captain before handing over the reigns to Gabriel Landeskog. The former Rocket Richard winner's number now hangs in the rafters of Ball Arena, forever cementing his Avalanche legacy.

Despite hailing from Usti nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, Hejduk and his wife have made Colorado their home, raising twin sons, David and Marek Hejduk, (who previously attended the Avs' development camp), and remaining active in the community; Hejduk has given all of his adult life — including 14 years as an Av — to the Centennial State.

Third Line: Dave Reid, Peter Forsberg, Jari Kurri

Dave Reid, 37
Avalanche: 1999-00 - 2000-01 | 138GP, 12G, 16A, 28P
NHL Career: 1983-84 - 2000-01 | 961GP, 165G, 204A, 369P

Reid spent the last two seasons of his respectable NHL career as a member of the Avs. Still fresh off scoring 10 points in 23 games to help the Dallas Stars win the 1999 Stanley Cup championship, he was a vital depth piece as a 37-year-old during the Avs' second Stanley Cup win in 2001.

Reid now works for the NHL Network and for TSN, and he has done so for over 20 years. He was also the GM of the OHL's Peterborough Petes from 2010 through 2012.

Peter Forsberg, 37
Avalanche/Nordiques: 1994-95 - 2003-04; 2007-08; 2010-11 | 591GP, 217G, 538A, 755P
NHL Career: 1994-95 - 2010-11 | 708GP, 249G, 636A, 885P

"Foppa" was one of the most electrifying players of his generation, but his career was cut short due to lingering foot, ankle, spleen, and groin injuries. Despite said injuries, he made numerous comeback attempts in the NHL, most notably his two final stints with the Avalanche.

Like many of the greats whose careers were cut short due to injuries — Bobby Orr, Pavel Bure, Mike Bossy, etc. — Forsberg's legacy will forever be tied not just to how much he gave to the game of hockey but how much the game of hockey took from him. Despite all of this, however, he remains a prominent alumnus for the Avs, occasionally seen attending games throughout the years.

Jari Kurri, 37
Avalanche: 1997-98 | 70GP, 5G, 17A, 22P
NHL Career: 1980-81 - 1997-98 | 1,251GP, 601G, 797A, 1,398P

While most known for his role in the Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s, Kurri also joined his former Oiler teammate Wayne Gretzky for a number of years in Los Angeles. After that, he spent time with a few more teams, including one final year as a member of the newly-relocated Avs for the 1997-98 season.

Kurri won five Stanley Cups in his 19 years as a pro, setting dozens of records for Finnish players, many of which have only been surpassed by fellow Avs alum Teemu Selänne. These two Finnish greats, alongside recently-traded Mikko Rantanen, rank as three of the best Finnish hockey players to ever play in the NHL.

Fourth Line: Alex Tanguay, Daniel Brière, Pierre Turgeon

Alex Tanguay, 36
Avalanche: 1999-00 - 2005-06; 2013-14 - 2015-16 | 598GP, 167G, 321A, 488P
NHL Career: 1999-00 - 2015-16 | 1,088GP, 283G, 580A, 863P

Tanguay had two stints with the Avalanche; in his first stint, he scored two of the most important goals in franchise history, recording the first two tucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils as a 21-year-old. After those initial five seasons as an Av, Tanguay played for numerous other teams before returning to the Mile High City nearly a decade after he first left.

"Tangs" was a reliable scorer and fan favorite player whose legacy, despite two separate layovers as a Calgary Flame, is chiefly tied to the Avalanche. Like many other names on this list, Tanguay has spent time working as an analyst for the NHL Network. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings.

Daniel Brière, 37
Avalanche: 2014-15 | 57GP, 8G, 4A, 12P
NHL Career: 1997-98 - 2014-15 | 973GP, 307G, 389A, 696P

Still seeking a Stanley Cup ring — something that ultimately eluded him during his 17 seasons in the NHL — Brière spent the last season of his career with the Avalanche organization. As a gifted playmaker and leader, "Mr. Playoffs" was a clutch, goal-scoring center who was beloved by players, coaches, and fans.

Brière now manages the Philadelphia Flyers, the team with which he spent the majority of his playing career. The Avs have interacted with him in this role numerous times since he took the position in 2023, including both the Ryan Johansen for Sean Walker trade and the one-for-one deal that sent Givani Smith to Broad Street in exchange for the return of Erik Johnson, who also features on this list.

Pierre Turgeon, 37
Avalanche: 2005-06 - 2006-07 | 79GP, 20G, 33A, 53P
NHL Career: 1987-88 - 2006-07 | 1,294GP, 515G, 812A, 1,327P

Despite appearing in an Avs uniform in just over 6% of his total NHL games, Turgeon's time in Denver was productive, even as he reached the twilight of his career. Known as "Slippery Pete" during his time as a New York Islander, Turgeon earned this moniker because of how easily he could shed opposing players due to his smooth skating and playmaking skills.

In 2023, after much discourse and outcry from fans and hockey historians alike, Turgeon, the 1987 NHL Entry Draft's first-overall pick, was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his thirteenth year of eligibility. He sits 35th on the all-time NHL points list.

Scratches: Jim Dowd, Dave Andreychuk

Jim Dowd, 37
Avalanche: 2005-06 | 18GP, 2G, 1A, 3P
NHL Career: 1991-92 - 2007-08 | 728GP, 71G, 168A, 239P

Dowd is arguably the least memorable name on this list, both because of his less-than-flashy counting stats and his limited time in Colorado. In his final four seasons in the NHL (2003-04 - 2007-08), Dowd played for six different teams: the Minnesota Wild, Montréal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers.

Fittingly, and very much in the spirit of this list, Dowd played alongside Brent Burns during Burns' rookie season, the 2003-04 season, with the Minnesota Wild.

Dave Andreychuk, 36
Avalanche: 1999-00 | 14GP, 1G, 2A, 3P
NHL Career: 1982-83 - 2005-06 | 1,639GP, 640G, 698A, 1,338P, 1,125PIM

Andreychuk played in less than one percent of his NHL games in the burgundy and blue; he came to Denver via Boston in a trade alongside Ray Bourque at the trade deadline of the 1999-00 season. Whereas Bourque had spent parts of 21 seasons in Beantown, Andreychuk was still in his inaugural campaign with the Bruins. Andreychuk moved on in the ensuing offseason, but Bourque elected to sign for the following season, in which he won his first, only, and long-awaited Stanley Cup.

Andreychuk's career was played with six different teams: something very different to the career of Bourque. However, the two players do share a few things in common, including Andreychuk winning his lone Stanley Cup in his 40s. He captained the Tampa Bay Lightning to their first Stanley Cup win, as a 40-year-old, in the 2003-04 season. He returned after the lockout to play one more year for the Bolts before retiring at the age of 42.