2006–07 Colorado Avalanche season

National Hockey League team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2006–07 Colorado Avalanche season was their 12th season in Denver. It was a season of transition for the Avs, as the team began the season with a new general manager in Francois Giguere, ending the 12-year reign of Pierre Lacroix.[1] The off-season also featured the departures of Alex Tanguay and Rob Blake, continuing the trend of star players leaving Denver that began the previous year.[2]

Division4th Northwest
Conference9th Western
2006–07 record44–31–7
Home record22–16–3
Quick facts Colorado Avalanche, Division ...
2006–07 Colorado Avalanche
Division4th Northwest
Conference9th Western
2006–07 record44–31–7
Home record22–16–3
Road record22–15–4
Goals for272
Goals against251
Team information
General managerFrancois Giguere
CoachJoel Quenneville
CaptainJoe Sakic
Alternate captainsAndrew Brunette
Ian Laperriere
ArenaPepsi Center
Average attendance17,612
Minor league affiliatesAlbany River Rats
Arizona Sundogs
Team leaders
GoalsJoe Sakic (36)
AssistsJoe Sakic (64)
PointsJoe Sakic (100)
Penalty minutesIan Laperriere (133)
Plus/minusKen Klee (+18)
WinsPeter Budaj (31)
Goals against averagePeter Budaj (2.68)
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After a decade near the top of the Western Conference standings, the Avalanche were expected to struggle to make the playoffs in 2006–07.[3] The team's expected decline also saw attendance take a hit, as Colorado's NHL record sellout streak of 487 games was ended on October 16 when 17,681 tickets were sold for a game, 326 shy of a sellout.[4]

Joe Sakic was the lone representative for the Avalanche at the 2007 All-Star Game in Dallas. Sakic recorded four assists at the game.[5]

Entering the final week of the season on April 3, 2007, Colorado was seven points behind the Calgary Flames for the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference standings. Needing Calgary to lose all four games that week and for them to win all four they fell short by one point. Calgary losing to Colorado, San Jose, Edmonton, and again to Colorado did not capture a point that week and Colorado winning three out of four was knocked out of contention when they lost to the Nashville Predators on April 7, 2007. The season finale the following night, the Avalanche beat the Flames 6–3 giving them 95 points overall on the season and one short of Calgary who had 96. With the 95 points, the Avalanche became the team with the highest point total in a season to not make the playoffs, missing the post-season for the first time since 1994 back when they were known as the Quebec Nordiques, despite going 15–2–2 to end the regular season. This record would later be matched by the 2010–11 Dallas Stars, who also failed to qualify for the playoffs with 95 points. Both the Avalanche and the Stars were passed by the 2014–15 Boston Bruins, the 2017–18 Florida Panthers, the 2018–19 Montreal Canadiens, and the 2024–25 Calgary Flames, who each earned 96.

Regular season

Season standings

More information No., CR ...
Northwest Division
No. CR GP W L OTL GF GA Pts
13Vancouver Canucks8249267222201105
27Minnesota Wild8248268235191104
38Calgary Flames8243291025822696
49Colorado Avalanche824431727225195
512Edmonton Oilers823243719524871
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Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime/shootout loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PIM = Penalties in minutes; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

More information R, Div ...
Western Conference[6]
R Div GP W L OTL GF GA Pts
1z-Detroit Red WingsCE82501913254199113
2y-Anaheim DucksPA82482014258208110
3y-Vancouver CanucksNW8249267222201105
4Nashville PredatorsCE8251238272212110
5San Jose SharksPA8251265258199107
6Dallas StarsPA8250257226197107
7Minnesota WildNW8248268235191104
8Calgary FlamesNW8243291025822696
8.5
9Colorado AvalancheNW824431727225195
10St. Louis BluesCE8234351321425481
11Columbus Blue JacketsCE823342720124973
12Edmonton OilersNW823243719524871
13Chicago BlackhawksCE823142920125871
14Los Angeles KingsPA8227411422728368
15Phoenix CoyotesPA823146521628467
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bold - qualified for playoffs, y - division title, z - best conference record
CE - Central Division, NW - Northwest Division, PA - Pacific Division

Schedule and results

More information Game, Date ...
2006–07 regular season[7]
October: 5–4–2 (home: 3–3–1; road: 2–1–1)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
1October 4Dallas3 – 2ColoradoOTTheodore18,0070–0–11OTL
2October 5Colorado2 – 3MinnesotaOTBudaj18,5680–0–22OTL
3October 8Vancouver2 – 3ColoradoTheodore18,0071–0–24W
4October 14Edmonton4 – 3ColoradoTheodore18,0071–1–24L
5October 16Chicago5 – 3ColoradoTheodore17,6811–2–24L
6October 18Colorado4 – 1TorontoBudaj19,4632–2–26W
7October 19Colorado2 – 1OttawaTheodore17,7283–2–28W
8October 21Colorado5 – 8MontrealTheodore21,2733–3–28L
9October 23Los Angeles1 – 6ColoradoBudaj17,2844–3–210W
10October 25Washington5 – 3ColoradoBudaj17,0474–4–210L
11October 29Minnesota1 – 4ColoradoTheodore17,6155–4–212W
November: 7–7–0 (home: 3–3–0; road: 4–4–0)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointRecap
12November 1Colorado5 – 3ColumbusTheodore16,0076–4–214W
13November 2Colorado1 – 4St. LouisBudaj9,4676–5–214L
14November 4Vancouver2 – 3ColoradoTheodore18,0077–5–216W
15November 7Los Angeles6 – 5ColoradoBudaj17,1967–6–216L
16November 11Colorado0 – 1NashvilleTheodore17,1137–7–216L
17November 13Edmonton2 – 1ColoradoTheodore17,7257–8–216L
18November 15San Jose4 – 3ColoradoTheodore18,0077–9–216L
19November 17Colorado3 – 0ColumbusBudaj16,3758–9–218W
20November 18Colorado2 – 1MinnesotaSOBudaj18,5689–9–220W
21November 20Colorado4 – 5DallasBudaj17,4919–10–220L
22November 22Anaheim2 – 3ColoradoSOTheodore17,10410–10–222W
23November 25Vancouver1 – 4ColoradoTheodore17,82511–10–224W
24November 28Colorado2 – 5CalgaryTheodore19,28911–11–224L
25November 30Colorado7 – 3EdmontonBudaj16,83912–11–226W
December: 6–7–0 (home: 4–3–0; road: 2–4–0)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
26December 2Colorado1 – 2VancouverBudaj18,63012–12–226L
27December 5Columbus3 – 0ColoradoBudaj17,33912–13–226L
28December 7Colorado5 – 2San JoseTheodore17,03913–13–228W
29December 9Colorado4 – 5Los AngelesTheodore17,07913–14–228L
30December 11Carolina2 – 5ColoradoBudaj17,11314–14–230W
31December 13St. Louis1 – 4ColoradoBudaj18,00715–14–232W
32December 15Edmonton1 – 4ColoradoBudaj17,58916–14–234W
33December 17Colorado1 – 2ChicagoTheodore11,11116–15–234L
34December 19Colorado7 – 6EdmontonBudaj16,83917–15–236W
December 21CalgaryPPD†Colorado
35December 23Chicago2 – 3ColoradoTheodore17,34718–15–238W
36December 27Dallas5 – 4ColoradoTheodore18,00718–16–238L
37December 29St. Louis4 – 2ColoradoBudaj18,00718–17–238L
38December 30Colorado0 – 2St. LouisBudaj16,07818–18–238L
†December 21 game against Calgary was postponed due to a snowstorm. The game was made up on April 8.
January: 7–3–2 (home: 4–1–2; road: 3–2–0)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
39January 1Colorado5 – 3NashvilleBudaj15,87819–18–240W
40January 5Tampa Bay2 – 4ColoradoBudaj18,00720–18–242W
41January 6Colorado2 – 1MinnesotaSOBudaj18,56821–18–244W
42January 9Detroit4 – 3ColoradoSOBudaj18,00721–18–345OTL
43January 11Calgary7 – 3ColoradoBudaj18,00721–19–345L
44January 13Colorado3 – 2AnaheimSOBudaj17,17422–19–347W
45January 15Colorado1 – 3San JoseBudaj17,49622–20–347L
46January 17Phoenix3 – 4ColoradoBudaj17,18323–20–349W
47January 20Detroit1 – 3ColoradoBudaj18,00724–20–351W
48January 26Phoenix5 – 4ColoradoSOBudaj18,00724–20–452OTL
49January 28Colorado1 – 3DetroitTheodore20,06624–21–452L
50January 30Nashville3 – 4ColoradoBudaj17,11925–21–454W
February: 5–8–1 (home: 4–4–0; road: 1–4–1)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
51February 1Minnesota5 – 3ColoradoBudaj17,28625–22–554L
52February 3Edmonton3 – 2ColoradoBudaj17,64525–23–554L
53February 6Florida4 – 5ColoradoOTTheodore17,06526–23–556W
54February 8Atlanta6 – 3ColoradoBudaj17,42826–24–556L
55February 11Colorado5 – 7DallasTheodore17,50626–25–556L
56February 13Anaheim0 – 2ColoradoBudaj17,51227–25–458W
57February 15Colorado7 – 5CalgaryTheodore19,28928–25–460W
58February 17Colorado2 – 5CalgaryBudaj19,28928–26–460L
59February 18Colorado4 – 5VancouverTheodore18,63028–27–460L
60February 20Calgary3 – 4ColoradoBudaj17,62329–27–462W
61February 22Minnesota4 – 3ColoradoBudaj18,00729–28–462L
62February 24Colorado5 – 6Los AngelesSOBudaj18,11829–28–563OTL
63February 25Colorado3 – 5AnaheimTheodore17,17429–29–563L
64February 27Columbus2 – 3ColoradoBudaj17,12730–29–565W
March: 11–1–2 (home: 3–1–0; road: 8–0–2)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
65March 1Colorado6 – 1ChicagoBudaj10,52231–29–567W
66March 4Colorado4 – 3DetroitOTBudaj20,06632–29–569W
67March 6Colorado2 – 0BostonBudaj11,70733–29–571W
68March 7Colorado3 – 2BuffaloBudaj18,69034–29–573W
69March 11Colorado2 – 3MinnesotaSOBudaj18,56834–29–674OTL
70March 14Calgary2 – 3ColoradoBudaj17,42635–29–676W
71March 17Colorado6 – 3PhoenixBudaj17,17936–29–678W
72March 18San Jose3 – 4ColoradoSOBudaj18,00737–29–680W
73March 21Colorado5 – 1EdmontonBudaj16,83938–29–682W
74March 23Colorado3 – 4EdmontonSOBudaj16,83938–29–783OTL
75March 25Colorado5 – 4VancouverSOTheodore18,63039–29–785W
76March 27Vancouver3 – 0ColoradoTheodore17,43739–30–785L
77March 29Colorado4 – 3PhoenixBudaj16,11040–30–787W
78March 31Minnesota1 – 2ColoradoBudaj17,19241–30–789W
April: 3–1–0 (home: 1–1–0; road: 2–0–0)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPointsRecap
79April 3Colorado4 – 3CalgaryBudaj19,28942–30–791W
80April 5Colorado3 – 1VancouverBudaj18,63043–30–793W
81April 7Nashville4 – 2ColoradoBudaj17,46243–31–793L
82April 8†Calgary3 – 6ColoradoTheodore17,55144–31–795W
†Makeup date for the December 21 game that was postponed.

Legend: W Win (2 points) L Loss (0 points) OTL Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

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Player statistics

Scoring

  • Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing
  • † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.
  • ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.
More information No., Player ...
No. Player Pos Regular season
GP G A Pts +/- PIM
19Joe SakicC823664100246
15Andrew BrunetteLW82275683−836
26[a]Paul StastnyC82285078442
23Milan HejdukRW803535701044
8Wojtek WolskiLW76222850214
39Tyler ArnasonC82163349−826
4[b]John-Michael LilesD71143044024
5Brett ClarkD82102939550
53Brett McLeanC78152035836
40Marek SvatosRW66151530146
14Ian LaperriereRW81821295133
12Brad RichardsonRW7314822428
2Ken KleeD81316191868
20Mark RycroftRW666612331
28Ben GuiteRW393811−416
71Patrice BriseboisD3311011−522
3Karlis SkrastinsD6801111030
27Ossi VaananenD74268669
87Pierre TurgeonC17437−110
34Kurt SauerD48066−324
44Jordan LeopoldD15235−414
6Jeff FingerD221451011
24Antti LaaksonenLW41314−316
10Brad May‡LW1003308
48Kyle CumiskeyD911202
29Scott Parker†RW1011206
31Peter BudajG570220
11Cody McCormickC601116
60Jose TheodoreG330116
57George Parros‡RW2000−10
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Goaltending

More information No., Player ...
No. Player Regular season
GP W L OT SA GA GAA SV% SO TOI
31Peter Budaj573116614991432.68.90533199
60Jose Theodore3313151870953.26.89101748
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Awards and records

Awards

More information Type, Award/honor ...
Type Award/honor Recipient Ref
League
(annual)		 NHL Foundation Player Award Joe Sakic [8]
NHL All-Rookie Team Paul Stastny (Forward) [9]
League
(in-season)		 NHL All-Star Game selection Joe Sakic[c] [11]
NHL First Star of the Month Peter Budaj (March) [12]
NHL Rookie of the Month Wojtek Wolski (December) [13]
Paul Stastny (February) [14]
NHL Second Star of the Week Joe Sakic (March 18) [15]
Joe Sakic (April 18) [16]
NHL Third Star of the Week Joe Sakic (February 18) [16]
Peter Budaj (March 4) [16]
NHL YoungStars Game selection Peter Budaj [17]
Wojtek Wolski
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Milestones

More information Milestone, Player ...
Milestone Player Date Ref
First game Paul Stastny October 4, 2006 [18]
Kyle Cumiskey January 1, 2007
Jeff Finger February 20, 2007
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Transactions

The Avalanche were involved in the following transactions from June 20, 2006, the day after the deciding game of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, through June 6, 2007, the day of the deciding game of the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals.[19]

Trades

More information Date, Details ...
Date Details Ref
June 24, 2006 (2006-06-24) To Colorado Avalanche
To Calgary Flames
[20]
To Colorado Avalanche
  • Edmonton's 4th-round pick in 2006
 To New York Islanders
  • 5th-round pick in 2006
  • 6th-round pick in 2006
 [21]
November 13, 2006 (2006-11-13) To Colorado Avalanche
  • 2nd-round pick in 2007
 To Anaheim Ducks
[22]
February 27, 2007 (2007-02-27) To Colorado Avalanche
To Anaheim Ducks
[23]
To Colorado Avalanche
To San Jose Sharks
  • 6th-round pick in 2008
 [24]
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Players acquired

More information Date, Player ...
DatePlayerFormer teamTermViaRef
July 1, 2006 (2006-07-01) Tyler ArnasonOttawa Senators1-yearFree agency[25]
July 6, 2006 (2006-07-06) Cody McLeodLowell Lock Monsters (AHL)2-yearFree agency[26]
July 12, 2006 (2006-07-12) Ben GuiteBoston BruinsFree agency[27]
Matt MurleyPittsburgh PenguinsFree agency[27]
Mark RycroftSt. Louis BluesFree agency[27]
July 24, 2006 (2006-07-24) Ken KleeNew Jersey DevilsFree agency[28]
October 3, 2006 (2006-10-03) George ParrosLos Angeles KingsWaivers[29]
June 1, 2007 (2007-06-01) Jaroslav HlinkaHC Sparta Praha (ELH)1-yearFree agency[30]
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Players lost

More information Date, Player ...
DatePlayerNew teamVia[d]Ref
July 1, 2006 (2006-07-01) Rob BlakeLos Angeles KingsFree agency (III)[32]
Tomas SlovakMora IK (SHL)Free agency (UFA)[33]
July 3, 2006 (2006-07-03) Dan HinoteSt. Louis BluesFree agency (III)[34]
July 6, 2006 (2006-07-06) Vitali KolesnikKhimik Moscow Oblast (RSL)Free agency (II)[e][36]
September 5, 2006 (2006-09-05) Paul HealeyLinkoping HC (SHL)Free agency (III)[37]
September 7, 2006 (2006-09-07) Frantisek SkladanyHC Energie Karlovy Vary (ELH)Free agency (UFA)[38]
September 29, 2006 (2006-09-29) Steve KonowalchukRetirement[39]
November 2, 2006 (2006-11-02) Jim DowdNew Jersey DevilsFree agency (III)[40]
November 15, 2006 (2006-11-15) Tom LawsonLukko (Liiga)Free agency (UFA)[41]
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Signings

More information Date, Player ...
DatePlayerTermContract typeRef
June 20, 2006 (2006-06-20) Joe Sakic1-yearRe-signing[42]
June 27, 2006 (2006-06-27) Antti Laaksonen1-yearOption exercised[43]
Ossi Vaananen1-yearRe-signing[43]
June 30, 2006 (2006-06-30) Brett Clarkmulti-yearRe-signing[44]
Karlis Skrastinsmulti-yearRe-signing[44]
July 10, 2006 (2006-07-10) Kurt Sauer1-yearRe-signing[45]
July 12, 2006 (2006-07-12) Jeff FingerRe-signing[27]
John-Michael Liles2-yearRe-signing[27]
July 13, 2006 (2006-07-13) Peter Budaj3-yearRe-signing[46]
Cody McCormickRe-signing[46]
July 24, 2006 (2006-07-24) Paul Stastnymulti-yearEntry-level[47]
August 4, 2006 (2006-08-04) Brett McLean1-yearRe-signing[48]
September 5, 2006 (2006-09-05) Marek Svatos1-yearRe-signing[49]
September 12, 2006 (2006-09-12) Andrew Brunette1-yearExtension[50]
April 3, 2007 (2007-04-03) Chris Stewart3-yearEntry-level[51]
April 9, 2007 (2007-04-09) Joe Sakic1-yearExtension[52]
April 11, 2007 (2007-04-11) T. J. Hensick3-yearEntry-level[53]
Ray Macias3-yearEntry-level[53]
May 8, 2007 (2007-05-08) Codey Burki3-yearEntry-level[54]
May 21, 2007 (2007-05-21) Jeff Finger1-yearExtension[55]
David Jones2-yearEntry-level[55]
Jordan Leopold2-yearExtension[55]
Kurt Sauer1-yearExtension[55]
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Draft picks

Colorado's picks at the 2006 NHL entry draft in Vancouver, British Columbia.[56]

More information Round, # ...
Round # Player Nationality NHL team College/Junior/Club team (League)
1 18 Chris Stewart (RW)  Canada Colorado Avalanche Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
2 51 Nigel Williams (D)  United States Colorado Avalanche U.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
2 59 Codey Burki (C)  Canada Colorado Avalanche (From Calgary Flames) Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
3 81 Mike Carman (C)  United States Colorado Avalanche U.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
4 110 Kevin Montgomery (D)  United States Colorado Avalanche (From Edmonton Oilers) U.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
7 201 Billy Sauer (G)  United States Colorado Avalanche University of Michigan (CCHA)
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Farm teams

Albany River Rats

The Avalanche signed a one-year deal to join the Carolina Hurricanes as the NHL affiliate for the Albany River Rats for the 2006–07 AHL season.

During the season, the Avs announced that they had signed a long term deal to be the NHL affiliate of the new Cleveland expansion team beginning in 2007–08. Coincidentally, the new franchise is a reincarnation of the Utah Grizzlies franchise, which played in Denver as the Denver Grizzlies until 1995, when the Avs came to Denver.[57]

Arizona Sundogs

The Arizona Sundogs began their inaugural season in the Central Hockey League.

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Stastny wore number 62 in his first seven games.
  2. [b]
    Liles wore number 26 in his first seven games.
  3. [c]
    Sakic was voted to the starting lineup.[10]
  4. [d]
    In parentheses is the player's free agency group on July 1 if applicable.[31]
  5. [e]
    Colorado retained Kolesnik's NHL rights through the 2007–08 season.[35]

References

External links

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