DENVER — Different generations, different styles of hockey. But the entertainment value is undoubtedly the same.
The Avalanche last won the Stanley Cup in 2001. It featured centers Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, defensemen Ray Bourque and Rob Blake, and goaltender Patrick Roy, all members of the Hockey Hall of Fame at the first round.
But that was the clutch-and-take era, before the 2004-2005 labor lockout when there was no hockey.
The new collective agreement that followed the cancellation of the full season changed the game. Opponents could no longer bully Forsberg and get away with it. The game has opened. Faster. Players didn’t like it because the new CBA started the salary cap era, and Avs fans weren’t thrilled because their club could no longer afford Forsberg, who went to the Philadelphia Flyers. to start 2005-06.
But that’s precisely why the 2021-22 Avalanche is so interesting. Sakic, now the club’s general manager, built this fabulous team under the $81.5 million salary cap with plenty of similarly styled players in 2000-01. And they have more speed. Sakic has built the fastest team in the league.
Let’s compare.
For starters, Sakic has a superstar center like him in 2001. Nathan MacKinnon is as dominant at center as Sakic was in 2001. Sakic had Alex Tanguay and Milan Hejduk on his wings at even strength back then. MacKinnon will play with Gabe Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin and/or Mikko Rantanen in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It’s a draw heading into the 2022 Championship Series.
And what about defenders? The 2001 team has the advantage, but only because of their age and experience. Ask anyone – the Bourque, Blake and Adam Foote trio in the top three was great because Bourque and Blake were so good in all areas of the ice and Foote was always the most defensive and toughest guy on the ice.
The Avs never trailed in Game 7 of the Finals against the New Jersey Devils and Foote clocked a game-high 29:44 at what was then called the Pepsi Center. Bourque was right behind at 29:35 and Blake clocked 24:34. It was a Hall of Fame defensive performance past Roy, who stopped 25 of 26 shots (.962) in the 3-1 win to win his fourth Stanley Cup on June 9, 2001.
The Avalanche’s best pairing today, left-hander Devon Toews and right-hander Cale Makar, might be the league’s best pairing, and rookie defenseman Bo Byram, born four days after the Avs last won the Cup, has already proven he has the potential to be a game-changer.
In terms of depth, I might prefer defenders Erik Johnson, Josh Manson and Jack Johnson to 2001 depth defenders Martin Skoula, Jon Klemm and Greg de Vries.
There is no comparison in purpose. Darcy Kuemper or Pavel Francouz have nothing against Roy.
Roy, 35 in 2001, had an incredible playoff run with a 1.70 goals-against average and .934 save percentage. Kuemper, the likely Game 1 starter on Wednesday, is currently at 2.65 and 0.897, and Francouz is at 2.86 and 0.906. No comparison.
But here’s a good one for Avalanche fans who hate to see second-line center Nazem Kadri likely out for Game 1 and beyond with a surgically repaired broken right thumb.
Forsberg missed the entire 2001 Western Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals due to a ruptured spleen removed after the Game 7 win over the Los Angeles Kings in the second round.
Forsberg had 14 points before his spleen ruptured. Kadri has 14 points entering Wednesday.
Probably just a coincidence.
But the 2022 team is four wins away from becoming as legendary as the 2001 team.
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