The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The team is a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team started as Quebec Nordiques in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and played in the league until its merger with the NHL in 1979. The Nordiques later relocated from Quebec to become the Colorado Avalanche before the 1995–96 season. The Avalanche have reached three Stanley Cup Finals, winning all of them (1996, 2001, 2022). After winning the 1996 Stanley Cup, Colorado became the first NHL team and the second team in North American professional sports history to win a championship in the same season they moved to a new city.
Table key +Key of colors and symbolsColor/symbolExplanationStanley Cup championsConference championsDivision champions Led league in points
+Key of terms and abbreviationsTerm or abbreviationDefinitionFinishFinal position in division or league standingsGPNumber of games playedWNumber of winsLNumber of lossesTNumber of tiesOTNumber of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)PtsNumber of pointsGFGoals for (goals scored by the Avalanche)GAGoals against (goals scored by the Avalanche' opponents)—Does not apply
Year by year SeasonAvalanche seasonConferenceDivisionRegular seasonCode explanation; GP – games played, W – wins, L – losses, OT – overtime/shootout losses, GF – goals for, GA – goals against, Pts – pointsPostseasonThe result of the playoff series shows the Avalanche's result first regardless of the outcome, followed by the opposing team in parentheses.FinishGPWLTBeginning in 2005, all games have a winner. Ties were eliminatedOTBeginning in 1999, overtime (and later shootout) losses are worth one pointPtsGFGAGPWLOTGFGAResult Relocated from Quebec1995–961995–96WesternPacific1st82472510—10432624022166—8051Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–2 (Canucks)Won in conference semifinals, 4–2 (Blackhawks)Won in conference finals, 4–2 (Red Wings)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–0 (Panthers)1996–971996–97WesternPacific1st8249249—10727720517107—5941Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–2 (Blackhawks)Won in conference semifinals, 4–1 (Oilers)Lost in conference finals, 2–4 (Red Wings)1997–981997–98WesternPacific1st82392617—95231205734—1619Lost in conference quarterfinals, 3–4 (Oilers)1998–991998–99WesternNorthwest1st82442810—9823920519118—5654Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–2 (Sharks)Won in conference semifinals, 4–2 (Red Wings)Lost in conference finals, 3–4 (Stars)1999–001999–00WesternNorthwest1st8242281119623320117116—4332Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Coyotes)Won in conference semifinals, 4–1 (Red Wings)Lost in conference finals, 3–4 (Stars)2000–012000–01WesternNorthwest1st82521610411827019223167—6941Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–0 (Canucks)Won in conference semifinals, 4–3 (Kings)Won in conference finals, 4–1 (Blues)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–3 (Devils)2001–022001–02WesternNorthwest1st8245288199212169211110—5456Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–3 (Kings)Won in conference semifinals, 4–3 (Sharks)Lost in conference finals, 3–4 (Red Wings)2002–032002–03WesternNorthwest1st824219138105251194734—1716Lost conference quarterfinals, 3–4 (Wild)2003–042003–04WesternNorthwest2nd8240221371002361981165—2624Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Stars)Lost in conference semifinals, 2–4 (Sharks)2004–0512004–05Season canceled due to 2004–05 NHL lockout2005–0622005–06WesternNorthwest2nd824330—995283257945—2231Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Stars)Lost in conference semifinals, 0–4 (Mighty Ducks)2006–072006–07WesternNorthwest4th824431—795272251——————Did not qualify2007–082007–08WesternNorthwest2nd824431—7952312191046—2633Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–2 (Wild)Lost in conference semifinals, 0–4 (Red Wings)2008–092008–09WesternNorthwest5th823245—569199257——————Did not qualify2009–102009–10WesternNorthwest2nd824330—995244233624—1119Lost in conference quarterfinals, 2–4 (Sharks)2010–112010–11WesternNorthwest4th823044—868227288——————Did not qualify2011–122011–12WesternNorthwest3rd824135—688208220——————Did not qualify2012–1332012–13WesternNorthwest5th481625—739116152——————Did not qualify2013–142013–14WesternCentral1st825222—8112248217734—2022Lost in first round, 3–4 (Wild)2014–152014–15WesternCentral7th823931—1290219227——————Did not qualify2015–162015–16WesternCentral6th823939—482216240——————Did not qualify2016–172016–17WesternCentral7th822256—448166278——————Did not qualify2017–182017–18WesternCentral4th824330—995257237624—1522Lost in first round, 2–4 (Predators)2018–192018–19WesternCentral5th823830—14902602461275—3531Won in first round, 4–1 (Flames)Lost in second round, 3–4 (Sharks)2019–2042019–20WesternCentral2nd704220—892237191159516041Finished second in seeding round-robin (2–0–1)Won in first round, 4–1 (Coyotes)Lost in second round, 3–4 (Stars)2020–2152020–21—West1st563913—4821971331064—3827Won in first round, 4–0 (Blues)Lost in second round, 2–4 (Golden Knights)2021–222021–22WesternCentral1st825619—711931223420164—8555Won in first round, 4–0 (Predators)Won in second round, 4–2 (Blues)Won in conference finals, 4–0 (Oilers)Won in Stanley Cup Final, 4–2 (Lightning)2022–232022–23WesternCentral1st825124—7109280226734—1918Lost in first round, 3–4 (Kraken)2023–242023–24WesternCentral3rd825025—71073042541165—4337Won in first round, 4–1 (Jets)Lost in second round, 2–4 (Stars)2024–252024–25WesternCentral3rd824929—4102277234734—2421Lost in first round, 3–4 (Stars)2025–262025–26WesternCentral1st825516—111213022031385—4437Won in first round, 4–0 (Kings)Won in second round, 4–1 (Wild)Lost in conference finals, 0–4 (Golden Knights)TotalsTotals as of the completion of the 2025–26 season2,3881,2688411011782,8157,2396,551277160116186272822 playoff appearances
1 Season was canceled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. 2 As of the 2005–06 NHL season, all games tied after regulation will be decided in a shootout; SOL (Shootout losses) will be recorded as OTL in the standings. 3 The 2012–13 NHL season was shortened due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout. 4 The 2019–20 NHL season was suspended on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 5 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 NHL season was shortened to 56 games.
All-time records Statistic GP W L T OTRegular season record (1995–present) 2,388 1,268 841 101 178Postseason record (1995–present) 277 160 116 — 1All-time regular and postseason record 2,665 1,428 957 101 179All-time series record: 29–19
References
External links Colorado Avalanche season statistics and records at hockeydb.com