The Colorado Avalanche were introduced to the NHL in time for the 1995-96 season, as they relocated to the Rocky Mountains after their identity as the Quebec Nordiques was no longer financially viable. They earned the Stanley Cup in their first season of play in Colorado and remained a force in the Western Conference for years thanks to the contributions of several future Hall of Fame players.
As all teams do, they experienced a downturn and a handful of seasons outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs before returning to their powerhouse status.
As the Avalanche, they have boasted some of the best players not only in the NHL but in league history, with several retired numbers hanging in the rafters of Ball Arena in Denver. But which players make the cut for the 10 best in franchise history?
Finesse forward Alex Tanguay
He began his NHL career with the Avalanche as a rookie in the 1999-2000 season and would go on to be one of the most important forwards for the team during their run to the 2001 Stanley Cup. Avalanche fans will never forget his pair of goals in Game 7 of the 2001 Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils and his incredible chemistry with captain Joe Sakic.
His playing career would also take him to Calgary, Montreal, and Tampa Bay before returning to the Avalanche in 2013, but he'll forever be known as one of the key contributors to their success in the early 2000s.
Bruising defenseman Rob Blake
The prize missing piece of the 2001 championship squad, Blake was acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Kings and later helped the Avalanche to hockey's mountaintop later that spring. He was then re-signed to a lengthy extension and would continue his playing career in Denver for several more seasons.
Finnish star Mikko Rantanen
While Rantanen's NHL career hasn't reached a decade in length yet, his exceptional playmaking abilities instantly made him one of the top offensive players the Avalanche have ever boasted. In the 570 career games that he's skated in with Colorado, he's racked up an impressive 617 points and played a key role in Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup win, dethroning the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Offensive-minded defenseman Cale Makar
One of the best defensemen in the game today, Cale Makar made an immediate impact on the Avalanche when he joined the lineup during the 2019 Western Conference Quarterfinal against his hometown Calgary Flames. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie in his first full season and was nominated for the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman in his second full season, eventually winning it the following year.
In 2022, he was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, helping the Avalanche secure their first Stanley Cup victory since 2001.
Creative offensive dynamo Milan Hejduk
One of the most consistent performers in Avalanche history, Hejduk earned the Maurice Richard Trophy during the 2002-23 season with 50 goals, and would finish his career with a total of 375 tallies. He also contributed 34 goals in 112 postseason games, helping the Avalanche to the 2001 Stanley Cup. Briefly serving as captain of the team, his jersey No. 23 was retired by the franchise shortly after his retirement.
Additionally, his talents were recognized in his native homeland by being inducted into the Czech Hockey Hall of Fame.
Elite offensive threat Nathan MacKinnon
One of the top players in the NHL today, MacKinnon burst onto the scene as a rookie in the 2013-14 season and captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. Since then, he's gone on to rightfully garner a reputation as one of the top talents in hockey.
The recent 2023-24 campaign was his finest to date, as he amassed an astounding 51 goals and 89 assists; he won the Hart Trophy as the regular season's most-valuable player
Hard-nosed defenseman Adam Foote
Another player originally taken by the Nordiques that moved to Denver in 1995, Foote became the anchor of Colorado's blue line that culminated in Stanley Cup victories in 1995 and 2001. While he would eventually leave the Avalanche as a salary cap casualty and join the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005, he would make his way back to the Avs in 2008 where he'd play until his retirement in 2011. Additionally, he would become the eighth captain in franchise history upon the retirement of Joe Sakic.
His jersey No. 52 hangs from the rafters in Ball Arena.
Swedish magician Peter Forsberg
Regarded as one of the best players in franchise history and one of the most dynamic and creative players in NHL history, Peter Forsberg was already a national hero in Sweden due to his Olympic achievements. Although his career in North America was cut short by a debilitating ankle injury, his Hall of Fame credentials were already secured.
Forsberg won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie in 1995, the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top scorer in 2003, and the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in the same season.
Not many remember, however, that his arrival in Quebec (later Colorado) was due to Eric Lindros refusing to play for the Nordiques after being selected 1st overall in 1992. Forsberg, who the Philadelphia Flyers had originally drafted, would be traded to Quebec as part of a major package that included Steve Duchesne, Ron Hextall, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, Philadelphia's 1st round pick in 1993, Philadelphia's 1st round pick in 1994, and $15 million in exchange for Lindros.
Hall of Fame Goaltender Patrick Roy
Arguably the greatest goaltender in NHL history, Patrick Roy was already a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens before being traded to the Avalanche in December 1995. He went on to win two more Stanley Cup titles with Colorado, including his third career Conn Smythe Trophy. When he retired from the NHL in 2003, he was the winningest goaltender in league history, a record later surpassed by Martin Brodeur in 2009.
His jersey No. 33 would be retired by the Avalanche shortly after his playing career ended, and he was forever enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame shortly afterward.
Iconic leader Joe Sakic
Simply put, former captain Joe Sakic is the most important player in franchise history. He was named captain three years before the franchise moved to Denver in 1995. Sakic was selected for 13 All-Star games and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the 2000-01 season, he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. Sakic holds the Colorado franchise records for games played (1,378), goals (625), assists (1,016), and points (1,641). Naturally, his jersey No. 19 was retired by the Avalanche after his playing days, and would also be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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