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Like several other franchises, the Colorado Avalanche began as a World Hockey Association (WHA) franchise, the Quebec Nordiques, for the 1972-73 season. They won one WHA championship (1977) prior to joining the NHL for the 1979-80 season. The Nordiques had moderate success in the NHL, making the playoffs nine times in their 16 seasons; however, they fell short of advancing past the conference finals. Following the 1994-95 season, mounting financial struggles led to the team being sold and relocated to Denver, Colorado, where they became known as the Avalanche. The Avalanche found immediate success by winning the Stanley Cup in their first season after relocation and captured another championship in 2001. More recently, the team won its third Stanley Cup in 2022.

Avalanche’s Winning Streak Showed Readiness for Playoffs

With just ten games left in the 2023-24 NHL regular season, the Colorado Avalanche are coming off one of their best stretches of the season. With the loss against the Montreal Canadians on March 26, 2024, the Canadians snapped the Avalanche’s nine-game winning streak that started on March 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks. That nine-game winning streak was tied for fourth in Avalanche history for longest winning streaks. While every game wasn’t played perfectly, errors did occur (looking at you, Pittsburgh Penguins game). The Avalanche are built to be Stanley Cup contenders and have played like it recently, but it…

Today in Hockey History: March 25

Today’s date in National Hockey League history has been all about things happening for the first time, both in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs. The greatest player of them all had one of the biggest firsts in league history. Let’s take our daily trip back in time to relive all the top moments from March 25. Gretzky Does the Unthinkable On March 25, 1982, Wayne Gretzky accomplished something many thought could never be done; score 200 points in a season. He entered the game against the Calgary Flames with 199 points. Early in the first period, he assisted…

Avalanche Firmly in Top Tier of Contenders for 2024 Stanley Cup

Depending on how you view the Colorado Avalanche‘s success in recent seasons, stating that the team has returned to the top tier of Stanley Cup contenders may seem puzzling. They currently boast a record of 46-20-5, have never dropped into a wild card spot at any point this season, and have generally hovered around the top of the Western Conference standings for most of the campaign. Yet, the team struggled to play up to its usual standard despite the positive run of results. In particular, the offseason acquisition of center Ryan Johansen fell flat as the veteran pivot looked out…

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Revisiting the Nazem Kadri Trade

When the Toronto Maple Leafs completed their 2018-19 season, they had failed once again to get past the dreaded Boston Bruins during the first playoff series. When the season concluded, general manager Kyle Dubas had some heavy lifting to do. His defense was weak and, as the general manager, he…

Grading Avalanche’s Trade for Yakov Trenin

The Colorado Avalanche continue to be one of the most active teams ahead of tomorrow’s 3 PM trade deadline. After acquiring Sean Walker and Casey Mittelstadt in separate trades, GM Chris MacFarland strengthened the team’s bottom-six by acquiring Yakov Trenin from the Nashville Predators. Here are the full details of the deal: Trenin is…

 

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Avalanche FAQ

What year were the Colorado Avalanche founded?

The Colorado Avalanche began as a World Hockey Association (WHA) franchise, the Quebec Nordiques, for the 1972-73 season.

When did the Colorado Avalanche play their first game?

They played their first NHL game (as the Quebec Nordiques) on Oct. 10, 1979, a 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Flames. 

Who is the current head coach of the Colorado Avalanche?

Jared Bednar is the current head coach for the Colorado Avalanche.