Note: These moments will be presented in chronological order. Additionally, "memorable" does not, in this case, refer exclusively to positive and successful moments.
In celebration of 30 years of Colorado Avalanche history, here are the 30 most memorable moments from that time. It's been a trajectory unlike any other; this team started its career on top a mountain, gradually tumbled down, and then climbed back up — it's now living at the base camp near the peak, preparing to summit once more.
1. August 10, 1995 — The Colorado Avalanche Are Born
The Quebec Nordiques, who were founded in 1972, joined the NHL as part of the NHL-WHA merger in 1979. The Nords were beloved, but they struggled to compete in the same market — one small and geo-culturally unique — as the NHL's premier franchise, the Montreal Canadiens. Accordingly, and despite assembling what, on paper, looked like a winning team, the franchise was sold to COMSAT Entertainment Group, for just over $100 million, in 1995.
The Nordiques then moved to Colorado, rebranded as the Avalanche, and granted The Centennial State its first NHL franchise since the Colorado Rockies, who played in Denver from 1976-1982, moved to New Jersey and were renamed the Devils. Stateside, the return of professional hockey to Denver was a welcome one, but for the many fans in Québec City, across the province of Quebec, and across the nation of Canada as a whole, the move was lamented; there are still routine calls for a return for the Nordiques, although the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman seems reluctant to consider challenging Montréal's revenue foothold in central Canada.
2. December 2, 1995 — Patrick Roy Done with Montréal
On a December night in 1995, the ever-hot-headed Patrick Roy was left in net in a rout of a match against the Detroit Red Wings, allowing nine goals on 26 shots. In response to this perceived slight and the razzing of the Canadiens crowd, Roy infamously approached the Canadiens' team president on the bench, telling him he'll never play another game as a Hab. Just four days later, Roy was traded away from the team who drafted him — the team with which he won two Stanley Cups, four William F. Jennings Trophies, and two Vezina Awards — and was sent to the Colorado Avalanche.
This franchise-altering move turned the Avalanche from a strong team to a contender: their roster now featured Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Valeri Kamensky, Claude Lemieux, Scott Young, Sandis Ozoliņš, Adam Deadmarsh, Adam Foote, and Mike Keane (who also came over in the Roy deal). The vibes were, just as suddenly as the Avs arrived, suddenly a mile high; both the team and the city knew they had a roster that could win a Stanley Cup.
3. May 9, 1996 — Stanley Cup Ringing
Immediately preceeding Game 4 of the Avs' second-round matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks in 1996, two of the league's best players embarked on a short but memorable back-and-forth that lives on in countless compilations of "the best NHL quotes of all-time." Chicago's star forward Jeremey Roenick was obviously tripped when racing toward Roy on a breakaway attempt, but the refs didn't call a penalty. After the game, Roy made it clear that, in his mind, he would've stopped Roenick even without the trip.
In response to this, after taking embrace with the no-call, Roenick retorted that he enjoyed Roy's comment but wondered "where [Roy] was in Game 3 — probably getting his [own] jock out of the rafters at the United Center." It's an epic quote from Roenick, and it was followed by Roy with an equally-epic quote of his own: "I can't really hear what Jeremy said because I've got my two Stanley Cup Rings plugging my ears. It's hard for me to understand what he says."
When all was said and the series was over, the two shook hands and showed respect for their respective competitive spirits, as Roy himself would state: "[Roenick] told me that he respected me. You know, our little run-in was just words. It's part of the game. He played very well in this series. Jeremy is a great competitor." Notably, Roy would win two more Cups, and Roenick would end his career without one.
4. May 29, 1996 — Lemieux and Draper
In Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference Finals between the Avalanche and the Red Wings, a single moment lit a fire that burned bright for nearly a decade. It happened almost innocuously, at the tail end of the first period, and, according to reports, most of the Red Wings players hadn't fully understood the actual severity of the hit and the damage done. Claude Lemieux — who had been a thorn in the Wing's side while playing for New Jersey while the Avs franchise was still situated in Quebec — hit Wings' forward Kris Draper into the board, head-first, from behind.
Draper suffered a broken nose, jaw, cheekbone, and orbital bone, as well as a five teeth bent so badly out of place they they had to be surgically readjusted. Lemieux was given a 5-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct, and Draper, understandably, had to be helped off the ice.
That game ended Detroit's season, and this game time for both the franchise and the fans to stew and to harbor a grudge that would be aired out next season. More on that — the Fight Night at the Joe — later on. When news did ultimately get to the Wings’ player after the game ended and the handshake line was complete, Detroit forward Dino Ciccarelli famously said "I can't believe I shook this guy's fricking hand after the game. That pisses me right off."
By all accounts, Lemieux never apologized to Draper, and the two have still not spoken to one another about the incident.
5. June 10, 1996 — Uwe Krupp and the Stanley Cup Sweep
Because of the successful foundations that were built in Quebec and expanded upon in Colorado, the Avalanche were able to capture the franchise's first Stanley Cup during their inaugural season in Colorado. The first three series proved difficult, with each one going six games. By the time they got to the finals, though, the complete mismatch between the Avalanche and the Florida Panthers was immediately evident, with Colorado winning four straight games. In those four games, Colorado scored 15 goals, while Florida only managed 5. The second game was an 8-1 barnburner
Uwe Krupp wasn't known for his ability to light the lamp, but he recorded four of his six career playoff goals during the 1996 playoffs, capped off by the goal that brought Lord Stanley's Cup to the Mile High City. In the third overtime frame of game four, after over 100 minutes of scoreless hockey, Krupp unleashed a 'seeing-eye' shot from the point that found its way behind Panthers netminder John Vanbiesbrouck. This single goal ended the game, series, and season — one in which the Avs were the remaining team, the champions, of the NHL.
6. March 26, 1997 — Bloody Wednesday // Roy v. Vernon
Full articles, breakdowns, and documentaries have been made that delve into the full context of this moment, so it's difficult to keep this blurb to just a paragraph or two, but the main takeaway is this: two dynasty-level teams, through consistent matchups — especially in the post-season (back when Detroit was still a Western Conference team) — became heated, hated rivals. It started with a single moment, which snowballed into dozens more, which defined the narrative of every meeting between these two teams for over seven seasons. As time passed, and as players involved in the most memorable altercations either retired or moved to different teams, the hatred gradually subsided. For those seven years, though, the blood feud that existed between these two teams defined an era of hockey that no longer exists.
On the specific, aforementioned "Bloody Wednesday," the tension and animosity shared between these two teams reached its breaking point, passing through the event horizon of sanity, landing amidst 148 PIMs, 18 fighting majors, and one of the most memorable goalie fights in hockey history, with Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon sparring at center ice. It was Lemieux's first game against the Wings after the hit on Draper, and the home Detroit crowd wanted blood. They did not go home disappointed. There were moments where the referees had to literally cover up blood that had spilled along the boards.
This night, and these fights, were the height of the chaos that erupted seemingly every time these two teams faced off, but the anger and spite lingered on all the way until the early 2000s. There hasn't been a rivalry like this, to this extreme, in the decades since. There likely never will be a rivalry like this again, as the league shifts to a focus on finesse and skill.
7. Nov. 16, 1997 — Roy Dekes Gretzky
So much of the first few seasons of Avalanche hockey is tied to Patrick Roy's antics and short temper. In one of the most bizarre instances in hockey history, Roy — frustrated by his team's seeming inability to keep the puck out if their own end — took the puck up the ice himself, getting to the red line, and as Wayne Gretzky came up to de-possess the fiery goaltender, Roy put Gretzky through the spin cycle. There's not much else to say. It was remarkably weird and unquestionably iconic.
8. April 1, 1998 — Roy v. Osgood
In keeping with tradition, in the 1997-98 season, there was another brawl and another goalie fight. This time, Roy faced off against Chris Osgood of the Red Wings. It kicked off with a scrum along the boards in the Avs' end of the ice, and, as Roy got tired of standing around and watching, he skated over to join the fray. As soon as he made a move toward the commotion, Osgood began skating out from his own crease, and Roy pivoted to meet him, with the two meeting near center ice.
While the two All-Star netminders chucked knucks to the delight of the crowd, the brawl continued between the 10 other players on the ice, each desperate to claim a spot in the ever-growing legacy of the infamous rivalry between the two sides. It's what happens when two contenders with bad blood get physical: chaos.
9. February 4, 2001 — NHL All-Star Game in Denver
Just a few years after their relocation, the Avs were named the hosts of the 2001 NHL All-Star Game, which was held in their recently-constructed home at the Pepsi Center. It was a wonderful moment through which the fans in Denver could experience the full breadth of NHL hockey, and it came at a time when the Avs were at the height of their dominance. The Avs had five representatives: Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, , Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk, and Ray Bourque, who had been acquired the year prior after spending over two decades playing for the Boston Bruins.
Additionally, the Los Angeles Kings' Rob Blake — who would be acquired by the Avs a month later — was also an All-Star, as were both Sandis Ozoliņš of the Carolina Hurricanes, who had been with the Avs in each of their first five seasons, and Theo Fleury, who had been a rental at the end of the 1998-99 season. On top of that, former Quebec Nordiques forward Mats Sundin was a representative for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and future Avs player Paul Kariya represented the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim — there was no shortage of Avs legends showcasing their skills on a cold February night in the Mile High City.
10. June 9, 2001 — “After 22 Years…”
Unlike the Avs' first trip to the Stanley Cup Final, this matchup went seven games. Facing off against the New Jersey Devils — an arguable dynasty in their own right — the game was close throughout. Alex Tanguay, then just 21 years old, potted two goals before the halfway point of the second period, and they would be enough to offset the one goal each the two sides would have near the end of the second period. The Avs won their second Stanley Cup in as many Stanley Cup Finals appearances: their second in just six years of existence.
There's a handful of moments throughout hockey history that showcase the intrinsic humanity that lies at the heart of organized sport. These moments show that, despite the team-oriented nature of a sport like hockey, there are individual people — with individual lives and experiences, passions and heartaches — who are inseparably intertwined with the fabric of the team around them. One such moment (involving one such player) is the moment Ray Bourque first hoisted the Stanley Cup.
After 22 long, arduous seasons, Bourque finally got his chance to be immortalized as a champion in the NHL, and this chance came a bit sooner than expected; team captain Joe Sakic broke the tradition of the captain raising the Cup first, instead electing to hand it off to Bourque so that he wouldn't have to wait another moment before finally feeling the pure elation of ultimate success.
Honorable Mention: March 26, 2000 — Hejduk Goes Swimming
After scoring the overtime winner in a late-season matchup against the Dallas Stars, "The Duke" decided to dive onto his chest and motion as if he was swimming — a move he, mercifully, didn't make his new standard celebration. It was silly and funny and a little out of character for the otherwise stoic Czech sniper.
Honorable Mention: June 14, 2001 — Joe Sakic Shines at the NHL Awards
To cap off an historic season for the Colorado Avalanche, the Avs were well-represented at the 2001 NHL Awards. Both Sakic and Bourque were second-place finishers (Sakic for the Frank J. Selke Award, which is given to the best defensive forward; Bourque for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best overall defenseman in the league), and the Avs won five total awards, with Sakic claiming three of them.
He claimed the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is given to the MVP of the season, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which is given to the player who best exemplifies gentlemanly qualities, and the Lester B. Pearson Award (now known as the Ted Lindsay Award), which is given to the player voted MVP by his fellow players. Additionally, Patrick Roy claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the MVP of the postseason, and Avs forward Shjon Podein took home the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is given to the player who best illustrates leadership qualities both on and off the ice.
Statistics, data, and analytics provided by The Athletic, the Canadian Encyclopedia, CBS, Colorado Hockey Now, Complete Hockey News, The Denver Post, The Hockey News, Hockey Reference, The Hockey Writers, HockeyDB, hockeyfights.com, the Montreal Gazette, the NHL, NHL EDGE, the NHL Network, the NHLPA, PuckPedia, QuantHockey, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, Spotrac, StatMuse, TSN, Yahoo Sports.