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).
Joseph Steven Sakic is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played his entire 21-year National Hockey League (NHL) career, which lasted from 1988 to 2009, with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. Named captain of the team in 1992, Sakic is regarded as one of the greatest team leaders in league history and was able to consistently motivate his team to play at a winning level. Nicknamed "Burnaby Joe", Sakic was named to play in 13 NHL All-Star Games and selected to the NHL First All-Star Team at centre three times. Sakic led the Avalanche to Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001, earning the most valuable player (MVP) in the 1996 playoffs. In 2001, Sakic earned both the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award as MVP of the NHL. He is one of six players to participate in the first two of the team's Stanley Cup victories and won the Stanley Cup a third time with the Avalanche in 2022 while serving as the team's general manager. Sakic became the third person, after Milt Schmidt and Serge Savard, to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as a player and general manager.
The 1995–96 NHL season was the 79th regular season of the National Hockey League. As part of the league's new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed after the 1994–95 NHL lockout, each team began playing 82 games per season. The Quebec Nordiques relocated to Denver, Colorado, becoming the Colorado Avalanche. The Stanley Cup winners were the Avalanche, who swept the Florida Panthers in the finals, in four games.
The 1987–88 NHL season was the 71st season of the National Hockey League. It was an 80-game season with the top four teams in each division advancing to the Stanley Cup playoffs. This season would see the Edmonton Oilers win their fourth Stanley Cup in five years by sweeping the Boston Bruins 4–0 in the Stanley Cup Finals. In the process of their Cup win, Edmonton lost only two games, a record for the "16 wins" playoff format.
The 1982–83 NHL season was the 66th season of the National Hockey League. The Colorado Rockies relocated to East Rutherford, New Jersey, becoming the New Jersey Devils. The New York Islanders won their fourth Stanley Cup in a row with their second consecutive finals sweep by beating the Edmonton Oilers four games to none. It remains to date the last time that any major professional North American sports team has won four consecutive playoff championships.
Jordan Douglas Leopold is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He was drafted in the second round, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1999, though never making an appearance with the team. In his NHL career, Leopold played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.
Bradley William Shaw is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the fifth round, 86th overall, in the 1982 NHL entry draft and played as a defenceman for the Hartford Whalers, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues in the NHL. He was a member of the 1989 NHL All-Rookie Team and twice won the Eddie Shore Award as the American Hockey League's best defenceman. He won the Turner Cup with the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League and the J. Ross Robertson Cup and Memorial Cup as a member of the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League. He is currently an associate coach for the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, and has coached in a variety of roles at various hockey levels.
Alexei Vasilievich Gusarov is a Russian former ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues. Gusarov and Valeri Kamensky were the first Russian-born players to achieve the Triple Gold Club, along with being one of the first 10 members in the Triple Gold Club. He reached this level while with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
Jeff Randall Brown is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from the mid-1980s to late 1990s. During his career, Brown was considered to be in the upper echelon of NHL defencemen. He was selected to play in the 1992 NHL All-Star Game and still holds many offensive records for the St. Louis Blues.
The National Hockey League's Northeast Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment. Its predecessor was the Adams Division. The Northeast Division lasted for 19 seasons until the 2013 league realignment, when all five of its teams were placed into the new Atlantic Division.
Curtis Michael Leschyshyn is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Leschyshyn played 1,033 games in the National Hockey League. He is the only NHL player to have played for two relocated franchises, both before and after relocation, the Nordiques/Avalanche and the Whalers/Hurricanes. Since he was drafted and played for the Wild in their inaugural season, he is the only NHL player to have played for three new teams in their inaugural season in the league. In addition, he also played for the two national capital city franchises in the NHL, the Capitals and the Senators.
Anthony John Hrkac is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of Croatian and Ukrainian ancestry who played eighteen seasons of professional hockey.
Pierre Pagé is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and executive. He only played briefly while attending college at St. Francis Xavier University in 1970-71, then turned to coaching.
René Corbet is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Kevin Michael Shattenkirk is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks. He was drafted in the first round, 14th overall, at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Avalanche and made his NHL debut with them in 2010. Shattenkirk won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in 2020.
Nicholas Bonino is an American professional ice hockey center who currently plays for HK Olimpija in the International Central European Hockey League (ICEHL). He most recently played for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Bonino has represented the United States three times, winning a bronze medal twice.
Ryan Reaves is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, and New York Rangers. He is the son of former gridiron football player, Willard Reaves, who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL).
Andrew Agozzino is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing for the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to Utah Hockey Club of the National Hockey League (NHL).
David Matthew Warsofsky is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for Augsburger Panther of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
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