1995–96 Colorado Avalanche season

The 1995–96 Colorado Avalanche season was the first season of the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise after relocating from Quebec City to Denver. As a result, the Avalanche were reassigned to the Pacific Division of the NHL's Western Conference.

Regular season

The Avalanche played their first game in the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver on October 6, 1995, winning 3–2 against the Detroit Red Wings. With the team led by captain Joe Sakic, forward Peter Forsberg and defenseman Adam Foote on the ice, Pierre Lacroix as the general manager, and Marc Crawford as the head coach.

The season was marked by the trade of Mike Keane and Patrick Roy from the Montreal Canadiens on December 6 for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky, and Andrei Kovalenko. Keane was the former captain of the Canadiens, and Roy was a 6-time NHL All-Star, 4-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner, 3-time Vezina Trophy winner, and two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner (1986 Stanley Cup Final and 1993 Stanley Cup Final). Roy demanded a trade from the Canadiens after he felt humiliated for being left in a game after surrendering 9 goals during an 11–1 loss against the eventual President Trophy-winning Red Wings on December 9. Roy's acquisition would prove pivotal for the Avalanche: he started 38 games, going 22-15-1 with a .909 save percentage and 2.68 goals against average (GAA); in the playoffs, he started all 22 games, going 16–6 with a .921 save percentage, 2.10 GAA, and three shutouts, including the Stanley Cup-deciding triple overtime Game 4.

Playoffs

Quarter-Finals

Colorado won their first-round series against the Vancouver Canucks 4 games to 2.

Semi-Finals

The team advanced to their second-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks. The series was notable for a mini-feud that developed between the Blackhawks' Jeremy Roenick and Roy. During Game 4, which the Blackhawks lost 2–3 in triple overtime, Roenick was tripped during a breakaway. In a media interview after the game, Roecnick said he should have received a penalty shot for being tripped and that Roy would not have been able to stop him, citing Roy's performance in Game 3 (.840 save percentage). Upon hearing this, Roy replied:

The Avalanche would go on to win games 5 and 6, eliminating the Blackhawks and advancing to the Western Conference Finals, where they would face the Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings.

Western Conference Finals

Colorado jumped out to an early series lead, winning the first two games on the road before dropping Game 3 at home. The two teams then alternated wins and losses, with the Red Wings avoiding elimination by winning Game 5 at home.

During the first period of Game 6, with the game tied 1-1, the Avalanche's Claude Lemieux boarded Detroit's Kris Draper; Draper hit his head on the boards, breaking multiple bones in his face. Despite Lemieux receiving a 5-minute major penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct, the Avalanche went on to win the game 4-1 and the series four games to two, advancing to the franchise's first Stanley Cup Final. Lemieux's hit on Draper would serve as the inciting incident of the rivalry between the two teams which would last over ten years.

Stanley Cup Final

In the Stanley Cup Final, the Avalanche met the Florida Panthers, who were also in their first Stanley Cup Final. The Avalanche swept the series 4–0. In Game Four, during the third overtime and after more than 100 minutes of play with no goals, defenseman Uwe Krupp scored to claim the franchise's first Cup. Joe Sakic was the playoff's scoring leader with 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists) and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player to his team during the playoffs. The 1996 Stanley Cup was the first major professional championship won by a Denver team. With the Stanley Cup win, Russians Alexei Gusarov and Valeri Kamensky and Swede Peter Forsberg became members of the "Triple Gold Club", the exclusive group of ice hockey players who have won Olympic gold, World Championship gold and the Stanley Cup. The Avalanche were the first NHL team to win a Stanley Cup in their first year after relocating, and the first team to do so since the 1937 Redskins relocated from Boston to Washington, D.C.

Milestones

• December 11, 1995: Patrick Roy earned his first victory in net as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. It was a 5–1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• February 5, 1996: Patrick Roy played the Canadiens for the first time since he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. Roy stopped 37 of 39 shots in a 4–2 win. After the game, Roy took the game puck and flipped it to Canadiens head coach Mario Tremblay.

Season standings

Schedule and results

Regular season

|- | 1 || October 6 || Detroit || 2 – 3 || Colorado || || Fiset || 1–0–0 || 2 || |- | 2 || October 7 || Colorado || 2 – 4 || Los Angeles || || Fiset || 1–1–0 || 2 || |- | 3 || October 9 || Pittsburgh || 6 – 6 || Colorado || OT || Fiset || 1–1–1 || 3 || |- | 4 || October 11 || Boston || 1 – 3 || Colorado || || Fiset || 2–1–1 || 5 || |- | 5 || October 13 || Colorado || 1 – 3 || Washington || || Fiset || 2–2–1 || 5 || |- | 6 || October 14 || Colorado || 1 – 4 || St. Louis || || Thibault || 2–3–1 || 5 || |- | 7 || October 18 || Washington || 2 – 4 || Colorado || || Fiset || 3–3–1 || 7 || |- | 8 || October 23 || Anaheim || 1 – 3 || Colorado || || Fiset || 4–3–1 || 9 || |- | 9 || October 25 || Colorado || 3 – 2 || Calgary || || Fiset || 5–3–1 || 11 || |- | 10 || October 27 || Buffalo || 4 – 5 || Colorado || || Fiset || 6–3–1 || 13 || |- | 11 || October 30 || Colorado || 6 – 1 || Dallas || || Thibault || 7–3–1 || 15 || |-

|- | 12 || November 1 || Calgary || 1 – 6 || Colorado || || Thibault || 8–3–1 || 17 || |- | 13 || November 3 || Colorado || 5 – 2 || Winnipeg || || Fiset || 9–3–1 || 19 || |- | 14 || November 5 || Colorado || 7 – 3 || Chicago || || Fiset || 10–3–1 || 21 || |- | 15 || November 9 || Dallas || 1 – 1 || Colorado || OT || Thibault || 10–3–2 || 22 || |- | 16 || November 11 || Colorado || 8 – 4 || Vancouver || || Fiset || 11–3–2 || 24 || |- | 17 || November 15 || Colorado || 3 – 7 || Anaheim || || Thibault || 11–4–2 || 24 || |- | 18 || November 17 || Colorado || 5 – 3 || Calgary || || Fiset || 12–4–2 || 26 || |- | 19 || November 18 || Calgary || 2 – 5 || Colorado || || Fiset || 13–4–2 || 28 || |- | 20 || November 20 || Colorado || 3 – 3 || Edmonton || OT || Fiset || 13–4–3 || 29 || |- | 21 || November 22 || Chicago || 2 – 6 || Colorado || || Fiset || 14–4–3 || 31 || |- | 22 || November 25 || Colorado || 2 – 2 || Montreal || OT || Thibault || 14–4–4 || 32 || |- | 23 || November 28 || Colorado || 7 – 3 || NY Islanders || || Thibault || 15–4–4 || 34 || |- | 24 || November 29 || Colorado || 3 – 4 || New Jersey || OT || Thibault || 15–5–4 || 34 || |-

|- | 25 || December 1 || Colorado || 3 – 5 || NY Rangers || || Thibault || 15–6–4 || 34 || |- | 26 || December 3 || Dallas || 7 – 6 || Colorado || || Fiset || 15–7–4 || 34 || |- | 27 || December 5 || San Jose || 2 – 12 || Colorado || || Fiset || 16–7–4 || 36 || |- | 28 || December 7 || Edmonton || 5 – 3 || Colorado || || Roy || 16–8–4 || 36 || |- | 29 || December 9 || Colorado || 7 – 3 || Ottawa || || Fiset || 17–8–4 || 38 || |- | 30 || December 11 || Colorado || 5 – 1 || Toronto || || Roy || 18–8–4 || 40 || |- | 31 || December 13 || Colorado || 3 – 4 || Buffalo || || Roy || 18–9–4 || 40 || |- | 32 || December 15 || Colorado || 2 – 4 || Hartford || || Fiset || 18–10–4 || 40 || |- | 33 || December 18 || Vancouver || 4 – 2 || Colorado || || Roy || 18–11–4 || 40 || |- | 34 || December 20 || Colorado || 4 – 1 || Edmonton || || Roy || 19–11–4 || 42 || |- | 35 || December 22 || St. Louis || 1 – 2 || Colorado || || Roy || 20–11–4 || 44 || |- | 36 || December 23 || Colorado || 2 – 2 || Los Angeles || OT || Fiset || 20–11–5 || 45 || |- | 37 || December 26 || Colorado || 5 – 1 || San Jose || || Roy || 21–11–5 || 47 || |- | 38 || December 29 || Toronto || 2 – 3 || Colorado || || Roy || 22–11–5 || 49 || |-

|- | 39 || January 3 || New Jersey || 1 – 0 || Colorado || || Roy || 22–12–5 || 49 || |- | 40 || January 4 || Philadelphia || 2 – 2 || Colorado || OT || Fiset || 22–12–6 || 50 || |- | 41 || January 6 || Colorado || 2 – 5 || Toronto || || Roy || 22–13–6 || 50 || |- | 42 || January 9 || Colorado || 3 – 0 || Boston || || Fiset || 23–13–6 || 52 || |- | 43 || January 10 || Florida || 4 – 4 || Colorado || OT || Roy || 23–13–7 || 53 || |- | 44 || January 14 || Calgary || 4 – 4 || Colorado || OT || Fiset || 23–13–8 || 54 || |- | 45 || January 16 || Colorado || 5 – 2 || Pittsburgh || || Roy || 24–13–8 || 56 || |- | 46 || January 17 || Colorado || 2 – 3 || Detroit || || Roy || 24–14–8 || 56 || |- | 47 || January 22 || NY Islanders || 3 – 4 || Colorado || || Roy || 25–14–8 || 58 || |- | 48 || January 25 || Vancouver|| 2 – 2 || Colorado || OT || Fiset || 25–14–9 || 59 || |- | 49 || January 27 || Colorado || 4 – 3 || San Jose || OT || Roy || 26–14–9 || 61 || |- | 50 || January 31 || Colorado || 1 – 2 || Anaheim || || Roy || 26–15–9 || 61 || |-

|- | 51 || February 1 || Winnipeg || 4 – 6 || Colorado || || Fiset || 27–15–9 || 63 || |- | 52 || February 3 || NY Rangers || 1 – 7 || Colorado || || Roy || 28–15–9 || 65 || |- | 53 || February 5 || Montreal || 2 – 4 || Colorado || || Roy || 29–15–9 || 67 || |- | 54 || February 7 || Tampa Bay || 4 – 4 || Colorado || OT || Fiset || 29–15–10 || 68 || |- | 55 || February 9 || Hartford || 3 – 2 || Colorado || OT || Roy || 29–16–10 || 68 || |- | 56 || February 11 || Colorado || 5 – 3 || Philadelphia || || Fiset || 30–16–10 || 70 || |- | 57 || February 15 || Colorado || 2 – 4 || Tampa Bay || || Roy || 30–17–10 || 70 || |- | 58 || February 16 || Colorado || 5 – 4 || Florida || OT || Fiset || 31–17–10 || 72 || |- | 59 || February 19 || Edmonton || 5 – 7 || Colorado || || Roy || 32–17–10 || 74 || |- | 60 || February 23 || Los Angeles|| 2 – 6 || Colorado || || Fiset || 33–17–10 || 76 || |- | 61 || February 25 || Ottawa || 2 – 4 || Colorado || || Roy || 34–17–10 || 78 || |- | 62 || February 26 || Anaheim || 2 – 3 || Colorado || || Roy || 35–17–10 || 80 || |- | 63 || February 29 || Colorado || 3 – 4 || Chicago || || Roy || 35–18–10 || 80 || |-

|- | 64 || March 1 || Chicago || 3 – 5 || Colorado || || Roy || 36–18–10 || 82 || |- | 65 || March 3 || Toronto || 0 – 4 || Colorado || || Roy || 37–18–10 || 84 || |- | 66 || March 5 || San Jose || 5 – 3 || Colorado || || Fiset || 37–19–10 || 84 || |- | 67 || March 8 || Detroit || 4 – 2 || Colorado || || Roy || 37–20–10 || 84 || |- | 68 || March 9 || Colorado || 7 – 5 || Vancouver || || Fiset || 38–20–10 || 86 || |- | 69 || March 13 || Colorado || 0 – 4 || Anaheim || || Roy || 38–21–10 || 86 || |- | 70 || March 17 || Edmonton || 1 – 8 || Colorado || || Roy || 39–21–10 || 88 || |- | 71 || March 19 || Colorado || 4 – 3 || Vancouver || || Roy || 40–21–10 || 90 || |- | 72 || March 20 || Colorado || 5 – 2 || Los Angeles || || Fiset || 41–21–10 || 92 || |- | 73 || March 22 || Colorado|| 0 – 7 || Detroit || || Roy || 41–22–10 || 92 || |- | 74 || March 24 || Colorado || 5 – 2 || Winnipeg || || Roy || 42–22–10 || 94 || |- | 75 || March 27 || Winnipeg || 3 – 1 || Colorado || || Fiset || 42–23–10 || 94 || |- | 76 || March 28 || Colorado || 8 – 3 || San Jose || || Roy || 43–23–10 || 96 || |-

|- | 77 || April 3 || St. Louis || 6 – 3 || Colorado || || Roy || 43–24–10 || 96 || |- | 78 || April 6 || San Jose || 1 – 5 || Colorado || || Roy || 44–24–10 || 98 || |- | 79 || April 7 || Colorado || 4 – 1 || Dallas || || Roy || 45–24–10 || 100 || |- | 80 || April 10 || Anaheim || 3 – 7 || Colorado || || Roy || 46–24–10 || 102 || |- | 81 || April 11 || Colorado || 3 – 2 || St. Louis || || Fiset || 47–24–10 || 104 || |- | 82 || April 14 || Los Angeles || 5 – 4 || Colorado || OT || Roy || 47–25–10 || 104 || |-

|- | Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || April 16 || Vancouver || 2 – 5 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 1 – 0 || |- | 2 || April 18 || Vancouver || 5 – 4 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 1 – 1 || |- | 3 || April 20 || Colorado || 4 – 0 || Vancouver || || 18,422 || Roy || 2 – 1 || |- | 4 || April 22 || Colorado || 3 – 4 || Vancouver || || 18,422 || Roy || 2 – 2 || |- | 5 || April 25 || Vancouver || 4 – 5 || Colorado || OT || 16,061 || Roy || 3 – 2 || |- | 6 || April 27 || Colorado || 3 – 2 || Vancouver || || 18,422 || Roy || 4 – 2 || |-

|- | 1 || May 2 || Chicago || 3 – 2 || Colorado || OT || 16,061 || Roy || 0 – 1 || |- | 2 || May 4 || Chicago || 1 – 5 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 1 – 1 || |- | 3 || May 6 || Colorado || 3 – 4 || Chicago || OT || 20,797 || Roy || 1 – 2 || |- | 4 || May 8 || Colorado || 3 – 2 || Chicago || 3OT || 22,454 || Roy || 2 – 2 || |- | 5 || May 11 || Chicago || 1 – 4 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 3 – 2 || |- | 6 || May 13 || Colorado || 4 – 3 || Chicago || 2OT || 21,356 || Roy || 4 – 2 || |-

|- | 1 || May 19 || Colorado || 3 – 2 || Detroit || OT || 19,957 || Roy || 1 – 0 || |- | 2 || May 21 || Colorado || 3 – 0 || Detroit || || 19,983 || Roy || 2 – 0 || |- | 3 || May 23 || Detroit || 6 – 4 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 2 – 1 || |- | 4 || May 25 || Detroit || 2 – 4 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 3 – 1 || |- | 5 || May 27 || Colorado || 2 – 5 || Detroit || || 19,983 || Roy || 3 – 2 || |- | 6 || May 29 || Detroit || 1 – 4 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 4 – 2 || |-

|- | 1 || June 4 || Florida || 1 – 3 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 1 – 0 || |- | 2 || June 6 || Florida || 1 – 8 || Colorado || || 16,061 || Roy || 2 – 0 || |- | 3 || June 8 || Colorado || 3 – 2 || Florida || || 14,703 || Roy || 3 – 0 || |- | 4 || June 10 || Colorado || 1 – 0 || Florida || 3OT || 14,703 || Roy || 4 – 0 || |-

|- | Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring

• <small>Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing</small>
• <small> = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.</small>
• <small> = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.</small>

Goaltending

• <small> = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.</small>
• <small> = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.</small>

Awards and records

Awards

Milestones

Transactions

Trades

Other transactions

Draft picks

Colorado's picks at the 1995 NHL entry draft in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Notes

1. The Avalanche acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 20, 1994 that sent John Tanner to Anaheim in exchange for this pick.
2. The Avalanche acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 7, 1995 that sent David Ling and a ninth-round pick in 1995 (233rd overall) to Calgary in exchange for this pick.

• The Avalanche fourth-round pick went to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a trade on April 7, 1995 that sent Bill Huard to Quebec in exchange for the rights to Mika Stromberg and this pick (103rd overall).
• The Avalanche ninth-round pick went to the Calgary Flames as the result of a trade on July 7, 1995 that sent a ninth-round pick in 1995 (228rd overall) to Quebec in exchange for David Ling and this pick (233rd overall).

See also

• 1995–96 NHL season

References