1995–96 Colorado Avalanche season
| 1995–96 Colorado Avalanche | |
|---|---|
|
Stanley Cup champions
|
|
|
Western Conference champions
|
|
|
Pacific Division champions
|
|
| Division | 1st Pacific |
| Conference | 2nd Western |
| 1995–96 record | 47–25–10 |
| Home record | 24–10–7 |
| Road record | 23–15–3 |
| Goals for | 326 (2nd) |
| Goals against | 240 (T-8th) |
| Team information | |
| General Manager | Pierre Lacroix |
| Coach | Marc Crawford |
| Captain | Joe Sakic |
| Alternate captains |
Mike Ricci Sylvain Lefebvre |
| Arena | McNichols Sports Arena |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Joe Sakic (51) |
| Assists | Peter Forsberg (86) |
| Points | Joe Sakic (120) |
| Penalties in minutes | Chris Simon (250) |
| Wins |
Patrick Roy Stephane Fiset (22) |
| Goals against average | Patrick Roy (2.68) |
The 1995–96 Colorado Avalanche season was the first season of the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise after moving from Quebec City to Denver. As a result, the Avalanche were assigned to the Pacific Division of the NHL's Western Conference.
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. Led by captain Joe Sakic, forward Peter Forsberg and defenceman Adam Foote on the ice, Pierre Lacroix as the general manager, and Marc Crawford as the head coach, the Avalanche got stronger when former Montreal Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy joined the team. Feeling humiliated for being left in the net after having let in 9 goals on 26 shots during a Canadiens game against the Red Wings, Roy joined the Avalanche on December 6, 1995, together with ex-Montreal captain Mike Keane in a trade for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko. Roy would prove a pivotal addition for Colorado in the years to come.
On January 3, 1996, the Avalanche lost at home, 1–0, to the New Jersey Devils. It was the first time in 123 consecutive regular-season games that the team was shut out; the last time the team had been shut out was while they were the Quebec Nordiques. That game took place on January 27, 1994, and the Nordiques lost on the road, 3–0, to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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