The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Ball Arena, which it shares with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Denver Nuggets and Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises. Beginning play in the 1991–92 season, the team initially played its home games at the Cow Palace, before moving to its present home, now named SAP Center at San Jose, in 1993; the SAP Center is known locally as "the Shark Tank". The Sharks are affiliated with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL.
Robert Bowlby Blake is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He is the current general manager of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11-season stint with the club. In 2001, Blake was traded to the Colorado Avalanche and was a member of their 2001 Stanley Cup championship team. It was his only Stanley Cup as a player, though he won the Cup again as a member of the Kings' front office in 2014. After a two-season return to Los Angeles, Blake signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2008, retiring as its captain after the 2009–10 season. Four years later, in 2014, Blake was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bradley Stuart is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in over 1,000 career games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Colorado Avalanche.
Dominic Moore is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He last played for the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL), and played nearly 900 National Hockey League (NHL) games. Initially drafted in the third round, 95th overall, by the New York Rangers in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Moore also played in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins. He is currently an analyst for the NHL on ESPN.
William Mitchell is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He is known primarily as a physical defensive defenceman. Mitchell played Junior A in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) before joining the college ranks with the Clarkson Knights of ECAC Hockey in 1997. He won an ECAC championship with Clarkson in 1999, while also earning playoff MVP and ECAC First Team All-Star honours.
Andrew Cogliano is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He formerly played for the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars and the San Jose Sharks. On December 31, 2013, Cogliano became the 20th player in NHL history to play 500 consecutive games, and only the fifth to do so from the beginning of his NHL career. On November 4, 2017, Cogliano played in his 800th consecutive game, placing him in fourth place on the NHL's most consecutive games played list. The streak ended at 830 games on January 14, 2018, when Cogliano was suspended for two games. Cogliano won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
Erik Robert Johnson is an American ice hockey defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Condor", Johnson previously played for the St. Louis Blues, who selected him with the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, as well as the Colorado Avalanche and the Buffalo Sabres. Additionally, he has represented the United States in numerous tournaments. Johnson won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
Chris Stewart is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers. He played junior hockey with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Stewart is the younger brother of Anthony Stewart, who also played in the NHL.
Ian Douglas Cole is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Cole won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Ryan O'Reilly is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Colorado Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. O'Reilly was drafted 33rd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he spent the first six seasons of his NHL career. Nicknamed "the Factor", he is frequently referred to as one of the NHL's best two-way forwards, winning the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2019.
Joseph Taylor Compher is an American professional ice hockey center for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 35th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Compher won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
Mikko Rantanen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 10th overall, by the Avalanche in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut that year. Rantanen won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
Christopher Wagner is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Wagner was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Tyson Jost is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Michael Vecchione is an American professional ice hockey center for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Jacob Edward MacDonald is an American professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Taylor Turnquist is an American ice hockey player who currently plays for the Minnesota Whitecaps in the Premier Hockey Federation.
Brandon Duhaime is an American professional ice hockey winger for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round, 106th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
The 2022 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2021–22 season and the culmination of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. The series was between the Eastern Conference and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche won the best-of-seven series, four games to two, for their third championship in franchise history. Colorado had home ice advantage in the series with the better regular season record.
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