SALVAS: Top Places I Want The Avalanche To Play Next

This week, the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets will take to the ice in Helsinki, Finland… wait… it’s not in Helsinki?!

(Rapidly Googles “Tampere, Finland”)

Look, from what I’ve all the time identified about (checks earlier sentence for location) Tampere, it looks as if a stupendous spot and a stunning metropolis of roughly 245,000, the third most populated municipality in all of Finland! And don’t even get me began on it being the sauna capital of the world due to its abundance of public saunas (probably the most of any metropolis on the earth)! I’ve all the time mentioned that about (checks earlier sentence for location) Tampere!

This little journey throughout the Atlantic acquired me fascinated with different locations I’d wish to see the Avalanche play video games. When placing collectively this checklist, I took into consideration just a few elements:

• Would town have ties to the group? This might be by means of the franchise or a sure participant.
• Is there an historic venue that would function the backdrop for a recreation?
• Would there be a spot in nature that would play host to a recreation very like Lake Tahoe did in 2021?
• Do I even must make guidelines for this checklist?
• Lastly, and most significantly: is it superior?

So with all that rattling round in my mind, let’s get into the checklist.

Honorable Mentions

• Thriller, Alaska: Look, the child Stevie Weeks can skate the river, however the Avalanche would go up there and completely crush that group and doubtless smash all the city for generations. This isn’t the Rangers and their one Stanley Cup in 82 years…
• Thompson Area (Dartmouth Faculty in Hanover, NH): After I labored for the Dartmouth hockey group, I used to go away a seat for Joe Sakic within the press field each recreation very like Ricky Bobby left tickets for his dad at each race. Not like Ricky’s loving father, my good friend Joe by no means confirmed up. This could be a great way for my dream to come back true. Dartmouth and Avalanche legend David Jones may drop the puck and there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the home.

• My yard rink, New Hampshire: In the course of the first yr of Covid, the Ivy League shut down all sports activities and I had weekend free time on my arms for the primary time as an grownup. I had a younger son who I wished to get on skates, so I made a decision to construct a yard rink. My downside is often that I don’t half-ass something, so I spent all of that newly discovered free time and made an superior rink… an superior 20’x24’ rink! We had restricted flat area in our yard, in order that was what I may get away with. I added retired quantity banners, Stanley Cup banners (simply two on the time), state and nationwide flags, a center-ice emblem and each emblem in franchise historical past on the boards in chronological order. We’ve moved and the rink has grown a smidge larger in complete space, however I nonetheless assume it may deal with the highest professional hockey group on the earth for a fast recreation.

THE LIST:

5. Lake Lucerne, Switzerland vs. New Jersey

Why? Nicely as a result of while you consider Swiss hockey, you clearly consider legendary Avalanche goalie David Aebischer and Devils captain Nico Hischier! Nicely perhaps not everybody, however I do know I do! This could be an important recreation for the New Jersey captain as a type of homecoming, however it could additionally give us a nationwide broadcast that might make at least 10 references to the Devils taking Hischier No. 1 general and passing on Cale Makar (as did three different groups earlier than my good friend Joe snagged him at No. 4). I fell down a Google Maps deep rabbit gap searching for the proper place to play this recreation and I believed I discovered it… but it surely seems this place is definitely in France:

So I regarded once more and realized I’ve been to Switzerland and of the best locations I’ve been is a metropolis on a lake with mountains because the backdrop… excellent! Lake Lucerne and town of Lucerne and its surrounding cities are unimaginable. I don’t care the place you discover a spot there… simply discover one. As a result of it appears like this:

4. Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia vs. Pittsburgh

Why? Nicely, if I’ve to reply this for you, you haven’t adopted the NHL the final decade. The 2 prodigal sons of Cole Harbor with 4 Stanley Cups between them are legends of their hometown (and nationally, too). You may play this recreation in Halifax on the dwelling of the Mooseheads and that might make a ton of sense as a result of the venue may host an occasion like this. However let’s play this on the native rink the place the 2 grew up enjoying: Cole Harbor Place. It’s a rink/library/fitness center/playground/the whole lot in Cole Harbor and above the ice hanging from the rafters are the retired numbers of Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby. Let the MacKinnons, Crosbys and native hockey households in, maintain the gang low-key to replicate the small-town really feel of the sport. Then, arrange a display within the parking zone and open it to the general public such as you see through the playoffs in Edmonton, Toronto or Denver (during the Final).

3. Jenny Lake / Grand Teton Nationwide Park vs. Seattle

Why? Google this spot when you don’t already know what it’s. It’s one of the vital lovely locations I’ve ever been and I’d return once more in a second if given the chance. It’s additionally one state away from Colorado so I assume the Avalanche may declare it as their territory (however I’m certain Vegas will dispute that since they’re already attempting to assert all the West as theirs… heavy eye roll). Play this recreation in opposition to the Junior Avalanche (Seattle) and also you’d have an important match-up. This would wish a Tahoe-esque arrange on the aspect of Jenny Lake to get the Tetons within the background. Or you may signal Pierre-Édouard Bellemare again and play on the lake and provides him what he’s all the time dreamed about… in opposition to the man who crushed his desires throughout that press convention. 

2. Lake Louise in Banff vs. Calgary

Mainly the identical kind of venue as No. 3, however most likely extra well-known. I’d love this recreation for therefore many causes, not the least of which might be how a lot it could piss off so many individuals wanting the Battle of Alberta to play right here. You already know what? That is my checklist and I don’t need to see the Oilers play. I don’t need Evander Kane to have any enjoyable, so I’m placing this recreation there between the Avs and Flames. Kadri and Zadorov in opposition to their former group. Cale Makar enjoying “at dwelling.” The battle between two groups that after traded Dean McAmmond to one another twice in the identical season with out realizing that you just couldn’t really try this… This historic match-up has all of it!

(That commerce with Calgary that despatched Chris Drury and Stephane Yelle to the Flames for McAmmond, Jeff Shantz and Derek Morris remains to be the one commerce that haunts me 20 years later…)

1. Quebec Metropolis vs. Montreal

Why? As a result of this can be a no-brainer. A slam dunk. For those who didn’t assume I used to be going right here, you then haven’t learn any of my earlier items. I’ve invested an excessive amount of of my life into following, obsessing over and blindly loving the Colorado Avalanche that I couldn’t return to my childhood group — the Quebec Nordiques — if the NHL ever figured it out and acquired them again within the metropolis the place the river narrows. That is certainly one of simply two video games I don’t have exterior. As an alternative, I would like it performed within the model new rink they constructed just a few years again that’s dwelling to the Ramparts now. Put the Avs of their unique Retro Reverse jerseys in order that the Nordiques emblem returns to the ice in Quebec, however nonetheless showcases the colour scheme of its Colorado life cycle. The very best of each worlds. Taking part in it in opposition to the Canadiens is a good homage to the previous rivalry, whereas additionally giving Avalanche followers the possibility to experience the truth that two in-season trades with the Habs led on to Stanley Cups (Patrick Roy and Arturri Lehkonen). 

There may be magnificence in all the venues in Nos. 5 by means of 2, however there can be nothing extra lovely within the eyes of many hockey followers than seeing the Nordiques emblem (albeit an altered one on this situation) again the place it belongs. 

Make it occur. 

Video games I Don’t Care in regards to the Avalanche Taking part in in:

• Colorado vs. Columbus anyplace
• Colorado vs. Columbus in Finland

Might We See Historical past?

Within the lengthy, storied historical past of the Colorado Avalanche, they’ve by no means gained an everyday recreation exterior of North America! Are you able to imagine that?? That might all change this weekend with the Avs taking over the Jackets and attempting to erase this lengthy, painful a part of our franchise’s nice historical past. This unlucky streak has reached the insufferable determine of two and dates all the way in which again to 2017. Rattling you, Senators! You took our blissful, beloved and positively not disgruntled Matt Duchene with you and used him to beat us! 

Many individuals are saying {that a} pair of victories this weekend may flip across the Colorado Avalanche franchise that has been reeling since that journey to Sweden 5 years in the past. Certain, some good issues have occurred since then… however the bitter style of that weekend in Stockholm nonetheless looms over the Colorado Avalanche and its fan base to at the present time.

The place would you need to see the Avs play?