The Colorado Avalanche started their journey as the Quebec Nordiques in the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972. Notably, they were one of the charter franchises of the WHA and won the Avco World Trophy in 1976-77 alongside four Division Championships. However, they were sold to COSMAT entertainment prior to the 1995-96 season and were relocated to Denver. Remarkably, they quickly became a dominant force as they were led by star players like Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg who helped them win their first Stanley Cup in their inaugural season in Denver.
Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, they remained a top contender, winning another championship in 2001. Despite some ups and downs in subsequent years, including coaching changes and playoff disappointments, they regained their dominance in the 2021-22 season, winning the Presidents' Trophy and capturing their third Stanley Cup by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Colorado Avalanche Lines' Combination List
Leading the forward lines, the Colorado Avalanche have Artturi Lehkonen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen forming a formidable trio. Moreover, Valeri Nichushkin, Casey Mittelstadt, and Zach Parise provide depth and scoring opportunities on the second line. Miles Wood, Ross Colton, and Joel Kiviranta also contribute to the physical presence and offensive prowess of the third line. While Brandon Duhaime, Yakov Trenin, and Andrew Cogliano round out the forward combinations, bringing energy and defensive responsibility to the fourth line.
On defense, Devon Toews pairs up with Cale Makar to form a dynamic top pairing, while Samuel Girard and Josh Manson provide stability on the second pairing. Jack Johnson and Sean Walker round out the defensive corps. In goal, Alexandar Georgiev takes the starting position, supported by Justus Annunen as the backup goaltender.
Here are the line combinations for the Colorado Avalanche, as per NHL's official website:
Forwards
1st Line
LW: Artturi Lehkonen – C: Nathan MacKinnon – RW: Martin Necas
2nd Line
LW: Gabriel Landeskog – C: Brock Nelson – RW: Valeri Nichushkin
3rd Line
LW: Jonathan Drouin – C: Charlie Coyle – RW: Joel Kiviranta
4th Line
LW: Parker Kelly – C: Jack Drury – RW: Logan O'Connor
Defense Pairings
1st Pair
LD: Devon Toews – RD: Cale Makar
2nd Pair
LD: Samuel Girard – RD: Josh Manson
3rd Pair
LD: Ryan Lindgren – RD: Sam Malinski
Power Play Units
1st Power Play Unit
F: Artturi Lehkonen – F: Martin Necas – F: Gabriel Landeskog – F: Nathan MacKinnon – D: Cale Makar
2nd Power Play Unit
F: Valeri Nichushkin – F: Charlie Coyle – F: Jonathan Drouin – D: Devon Toews – F: Brock Nelson
Penalty Kill Units
1st Penalty Kill Unit
F: Parker Kelly – F: Joel Kiviranta – D: Devon Toews – D: Cale Makar
2nd Penalty Kill Unit
F: Charlie Coyle – F: Jack Drury – D: Ryan Lindgren – D: Josh Manson
Goalies
Starter: Mackenzie Blackwood
Backup: Scott Wedgewood
Injured Players
Tucker Poolman (D)
Ross Colton (F)
FAQs on Colorado Avalanche
A. The goaltenders for the Avalanche are Mackenzie Blackwood (starting) and Scott Wedgewood
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