5/23/13: Out with the old (ex-player) and in with the new (ex-player). Colorado had the talent on the roster to make a playoff run, but they didn't. True, the team was cursed with injuries all year, but they finished last in the league, and (obviously) missed the playoffs for the third time in four years. So the Avs let go of head coach Joe Sacco. There is no replacement yet, but the word on the street is that former Avs goalie and hall-of-famer Patrick Roy may be the next coach. Roy has been coaching in the juniors for the past five years, and may be ready to make the jump to the NHL.

5/2/13: The Colorado Avalanche fired head coach Joe Sacco following the end of the regular season. The Avalanche finished last in the Western Conference, beating out only the Florida Panthers for the worst record in the league. Sacco was hired in 2009 and took the Avs the playoffs (as an eight seed) in his first season. They were eliminated in the first round by the San Jose Sharks. The team has not made the playoffs since, and has gotten progressively worse. Colorado had injury troubles this season, but the team needed to make a move to refocus and go in the right direction in the future.

4/11/13: This was certainly not the season that the Avs envisioned. The team was emboldened by their play late last year. They promoted their star second year man Gabriel Landeskog to captain (youngest in the league at age 19). They also acquired P.A. Parenteau who left the Islanders to be part of a strong Avs team. But the team has simply not played well - often times looking disinterested. The team will miss the playoff for the third straight year, and many believe that it is a foregone conclusion that head coach Joe Sacco will be fired at season's end.

3/21/13: The Avs received a lot publicity and respect for ending Chicago's point streak - the longest in NHL history - a few weeks ago. They dominated the Blackhawks for 60 minutes en route to a decisive 6-2 victory that was featured on sports headlines throughout the continent. But then there is payback. Prior to the rematch, Avs head coach Joe Sacco admitted that he thought the Blackhawks would want revenge. Chicago got its revenge by decimating the struggling Avs 5-2 at the Pepsi Center. Colorado is in last place in the Northwest division with only 10 wins - and seems a long way off from consistently competing.

3/14/2013: Colorado became the first team this season to beat the Chicago Blackhawks in regulation with a 6-2 drubbing of the league leader. The Blackhawks came into the Pepsi Center with the longest points streak in NHL history. While the Avs played great to beat Chicago, and the Avs fans stayed late to applaud their team. Overall, the team is still struggling at 10-11-4. The Northwest Division is still pretty tight. Vancouver leads with 30 points and the Avs are in fourth with 24 - so it is still anyone's division to take. A few more games like that, though, and Colorado will be able to qualify for the playoffs.

3/7/13: Ryan O'Reilly is finally back with the Avs, and not a moment too soon. The Avs have struggled mightily this season - much of which can be attributed to injuries to key players. But the standings don't care about injuries, just wins. The Avs need wins. They stand at 8-8-4, tied for third in the Northwest Division. They are within striking distance of both winning the division and missing the playoffs. O'Reilly sat out the first month of the season in a contract dispute as a restricted free agent. Then Calgary offered a $10 million/2 year deal that Colorado matched. Maybe O'Reilly can spark the Avs for the rest of the season.

2/21/13: Colorado survived a difficult game against St. Louis on February 20. Both teams were severely hampered, but still managed to put on an entertaining game complete with top-notch goaltending, as the Avalanche beat the Blues 1-0, scoring with 17 seconds left in overtime. Av's goalie, Semyen Varlavov, who had allowed 10 goals in the previous two games turned into Dominik Hasek - turning aside 30+ shots from the Blues. St. Louis goalie Jaro Halak made his first start since a groin injury on Feb 1, and was outstanding. Colorado is now 6-1-2 against the Blues in Denver since the 2008 - 2009 season.

1/24/13: As good as the news is in Edmonton (they reached an agreement for a new arena), it is almost as bad in Colorado. OK, that may be a reach, but Steve Downie is lost for the year with a torn ACL. Downie was acquired last season from the Tampa Bay Lightning, and was an immediate contributor - scoring twice and adding 11 assists in just 20 games last year. He was expected to be a major contributor this season, and it is unfortunate that the 25 year old forward will be lost for the season, especially after only a couple of games.

11/29/12: Matt Duchene is a staple with the Colorado Avalanche, and he is known to have a competitive streak. He is currently playing in the Swedish Elite League with the Frolunda Indians, and had some choice words for his new teammates. Frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of effort, Duchene ripped into his team claiming " You can't just put your skates on and skate around". While he may not be endearing himself in Frolunda, it is the type of attitude needed to succeed in the NHL - and one that should benefit the Avs in the future.

11/22/12: Patrick Roy was the last franchise goaltender for the Avs, and he helped them win the Stanley Cup, while keeping the team in elite status for several years. Perhaps the next franchise netminder will be Kieran Millan. Millan is currently playing in the Central Hockey League for the Denver Cutthroats - an Avalanche minor league affiliate. The CHL announced that Millan won the Player of the Week honors by allowing one goal in two games (both wins), including the new franchise's first ever shutout. This is good news for Av fans, who are still waiting for the second coming on St. Patrick.

11/15/12: This franchise gained elite status once they escaped Quebec and made a home in Colorado, then traded for elite goaltender Patrick Roy in the early 1990's. While the team has struggled for the past few seasons, the legacy of players like Roy, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foot, Chris Drury, and Joe Sakic lives on in the Mile High City. Joe Sakic, who is arguably the face of Colorado version of the franchise earned his entry into the NHL Hall of Fame. He is joined by Adam Oates, Matts Sundin, and Pavel Bure, in what is among the strongest classes in recent history. Configurations to Joe on an honor he truly deserved.

11/8/12: Colorado has been notably quiet during the lockout. Aside from naming Rookie of the Year runner up Gabriel Landeskog the youngest captain in the league, there has been little news out of Denver about the Avalanche. Perhaps that is because the Avalanche have managed themselves better than most teams the past few years. They quietly built a strong core of young players and can expect to compete for a playoff spot in the West. Additionally, the team is well under any speculated salary cap, and will not have have to panic and free up cap room. All of this means the Avalanche are just waiting out the lockout, like everyone else.

11/1/12: The Denver Cutthroats, who have a minor league affiliation with the Avalanche, acquired 22 year old defenseman Joel Chouinard when the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL assigned him. Chouinard is an exciting offensive blueline prospect. He spent last season with the Monsters, and the four prior years with the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Junior League. His final year in the Q League was his best, leading all defensemen with 23 goals and finished second in scoring with 68 points. Chouinard needs more development, but he could one day be able to join the crosstown Avs.

10/18/12: Are the Avs a playoff team this season (once the lockout ends)? There are plenty of reasons to believe so, starting with their second year star Gabriel Landeskog. Landeskog led the team in goal, assists, and points as a rookie, and will only improve as he matures. He is very young - not even old enough to buy a beer, but the kid has all the skills. The season may still be 82 games, albeit in a condensed schedule. That benefits younger teams with more energy. Finally, Colorado made good additions in the offseason, bring on Steve Downie, PA Parenteau, and Jamie McGinn. This combination should serve the Avs well as they seek their return to their former glory.

10/4/12: Sorry, Cleveland, you miss out again. Last season's rookie of the year and newly minted (and youngest) captain of the Colorado Avalanche will not be joining the Lake Erie Monsters during the lockout. Instead, Gabriel Landeskog is heading to Europe to play in the Swedish Second Division with Djurgarden. The reigning Calder Trophy holder signed a two month deal which would allow him to return to the Avs should the lockout end. Landeskog lit up rink last year with 22 goals and 30 assists (both team leads) in his first NHL season, and is a rising superstar on par with Jordan Eberle and TJ Oshie.

8/16/12: Loui Eriksson may be well-known in hockey circles, but has not captured the public imagination as fellow Dallas pro athlete Dirk Novitski. That being said, in this, the twentieth anniversary year of the North Stars leaving Minnesota for Dallas, it may be understandable to neglect Eriksson's contributions. At age 27, he is already 8th all-time in Dallas Stars scoring history. In the next season, he is sure to surpass bigger names including Darryl Sydor and Joe Nieuwendyk (now his boss). A big season with 80 or more points would get him to 5th, passing Mike Ribeiro.

8/2/12: One may not think it, but the Avs may be the most budget-concious team in the league. Last season, the Avs were $15 million under the $70 million cap, and currently stand a $16 million below with only one more player (Ryan O'Reilly) left to sign to complete their 23-man roster. With a new collective bargaining agreement coming (hopefully) in the next few weeks, the cap number is likely to decrease. While other teams like the Wild may have to scramble to get below the cap, the Avs are sitting comfortably with a low-cost but talented roster. In fact, the Avs can pick up more talent from the big spending teams and still have room.

7/26/12: Av's prospect Dillon Donnelly has found himself with some unwanted attention, as he has admitted to breaking the Memorial Cup - the trophy given to the champion of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Donnelly's team, the Shawninigan Cataractes won the championship, and Donnelly was enjoying his day with the cup. He claims he fell and broke it accidentally, though some people doubt that account of story. In any case, the team and league are holding him responsible and he will have to pay for the damages, which includes a bashed cup and cracked wooden base.

5/22/12: Playing on a team in a division that spans from Alberta, CA to Denver, to Minneapolis, to Vancouver is taxing. The constant travel and lack of natural rivalries can wear on even the most grizzled player, especially a mile above sea level. But that is OK with captain Milan Hedjuk. The right winger signed a one year, two million dollar contract to remain with the club for the next season. Hedjuk is a warrior. He has spent his entire 13-year career with the club, scoring 371 goals and 423 assists in 991 games, and has only played less than 71 games in a season one time.

5/16/12: Left winger Gabriel Landekog has a little time before the awards ceremony, but should be getting his tuxedo pressed and his shoes shined. With 22 goals and 30 assists and a plus 20 rating in 82 games, the 19-year old phenom is the leading candidate for the Calder Award (rookie of the year). Landeskog hopes to follow Chris Drury's lead in being the second Av to win the award, and the fourth in franchise history. Prior to the 1996 move from Quebec to Denver, Peter Forsberg (1995) and Peter Stastney (1981) claimed the award. Landeskog would be in great company, as all of the franchise's prior winners had successful and storied careers.

5/11/12: The Avalanche were the youngest team in the NHL last year, with 10 regulars under the age of 25. Despite this lack of experience, the Avs finished with 11 more wins and 20 more points than the previous season, indicating that the youth movement is beginning to pay off. However, the improvement was not enough to get the team into the playoffs in the ultra-competitive West, even with a record of 41-35-6. Gabriel Landeskog was the brighted spot on the team. The rookie led the Avs with 22 goals and is a finalist for the Calder Trophy - given to the Rookie of the Year.

5/3/12: The Avalanche are in a rebuilding mode, and may be another year or two from making the playoffs in the ultra-competitive NHL Western Conference. However, they do have a strong young foundation from which to build on. In his rookie campaign, left winger Gabrial Landeskog scored 22 goals and 30 points in 80 games. The second overall selection in the 2011 draft was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy, given annually to the league's top rookie - he should win the award for his outstanding play. Coloriado does not have a first round pick in this year's draft, having traded it to Washington for Semyon Varlamov.

Colorado Avalanche Tickets -Team History

Colorado Avalanche tickets allow fans the opportunity to see one of the youngest and most successful franchises in the NHL's Western Conference. Established in 1972, the Colorado Avalanche were originally based in Quebec before making the move stateside in 1995. The Avalanche play their games at the Pepsi Center in Denver and have called the venue home since it opened in 1999. Watch as they continue to build their legacy and work to bring a third Stanley Cup to Colorado!

Colorado Avalanche Tickets -Season Info

It's been a roller-coaster couple of seasons for the Colorado Avalanche. With playoff appearance three of the last five seasons, the Avs have certainly given the fans hope for big things in the near future. With 20-year-old All-Star Matt Duchene and veterans like Milan Hejduk and Adam Foote leading the charge, Avs fans can expect to see their squad in playoff contention year after year.

Colorado Avalanche Tickets -Ticket Information

Colorado Avalanche tickets ensure that fans see the Avalanche playing top contenders throughout the entire NHL season. The Avs have their work cut out for them in a tough Northwest Division. With matchups against great teams like the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames and non-divisional meetings with Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins, the Avalanche are sure to be tested all season long. Grab your Avs tickets now and don't miss the action!

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