2014–15 Colorado Avalanche season

2014–15 Colorado Avalanche
Division	7th Central
Conference	11th Western
2014–15 record	39–31–12
Home record	23–15–3
Road record	16–16–9
Goals for	219
Goals against	227
Team information
General manager	Joe Sakic
Coach	Patrick Roy
Captain	Gabriel Landeskog
Alternate captains	Jarome Iginla Cody McLeod
Arena	Pepsi Center
Average attendance	16,176 (41 games)
Team leaders
Goals	Jarome Iginla (29)
Assists	Tyson Barrie (41)
Points	Gabriel Landeskog Jarome Iginla (59)
Penalty minutes	Cody McLeod (191)
Plus/minus	Tyson Barrie (+5)
Wins	Semyon Varlamov (28)
Goals against average	Calvin Pickard (2.35)

The 2014–15 Colorado Avalanche season was the 20th operational season and 19th playing season since the franchise relocated from Quebec prior to the start of the 1995–96 NHL season. As well as the franchise's 36th season in the National Hockey League and 43rd season overall. The Avalanche would commemorate their 20th anniversary in the 2015-16 season.

The Avalanche missed the playoffs despite qualifying the previous season.

Off-season

On May 26, 2014, goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere announced his intention to retire, reportedly saying, "I do not see a reason to remain in the League."

Standings

Central Division

Pos	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	ROW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	y – St. Louis Blues	82	51	24	7	42	248	201	+47	109
2	x – Nashville Predators	82	47	25	10	41	232	208	+24	104
3	x – Chicago Blackhawks	82	48	28	6	39	229	189	+40	102
4	x – Minnesota Wild	82	46	28	8	42	231	201	+30	100
5	x – Winnipeg Jets	82	43	26	13	36	230	210	+20	99
6	Dallas Stars	82	41	31	10	37	261	260	+1	92
7	Colorado Avalanche	82	39	31	12	29	219	227	−8	90

Source: National Hockey League
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division

Western Conference Wild Card

Pos	Div	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	ROW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	CE	x – Minnesota Wild	82	46	28	8	42	231	201	+30	100
2	CE	x – Winnipeg Jets	82	43	26	13	36	230	210	+20	99
3	PA	Los Angeles Kings	82	40	27	15	38	220	205	+15	95
4	CE	Dallas Stars	82	41	31	10	37	261	260	+1	92
5	CE	Colorado Avalanche	82	39	31	12	29	219	227	−8	90
6	PA	San Jose Sharks	82	40	33	9	36	228	232	−4	89
7	PA	Edmonton Oilers	82	24	44	14	19	198	283	−85	62
8	PA	Arizona Coyotes	82	24	50	8	19	170	272	−102	56

Source: National Hockey League
x – Clinched playoff spot

Suspensions/fines

Player	Explanation	Length	Salary	Date issued
Gabriel Landeskog	Throwing a punch at Minnesota Wild forward Mikko Koivu while both players were on their respective benches during NHL game No. 930 in Denver on Saturday, February 28, 2015, at 19:57 of the third period.	—	$5,000.00	March 3, 2015
Cody McLeod	Entering game late with intention of starting an altercation during NHL game No. 930 in Denver on Saturday, February 28, 2015, at 19:52 of the third period.	—	$3,091.40	March 3, 2015

Schedule and results

Pre-season

Pre-season game log: 1–5–2 (Home: 0–3–1 ; Road: 1–2–1)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 22	Anaheim	5–2	Colorado		Pickard		0–1–0	Recap
2	September 22	Colorado	0–4	Anaheim		Berra	13,252	0–2–0	Recap
3	September 25	Colorado	2–3	Montreal	OT	Berra	21,287	0–2–1	Recap
4[a]	September 26	Montreal	3–2	Colorado		Varlamov		0–3–1	Recap
5	September 28	Calgary	2–1	Colorado		Varlamov		0–4–1	Recap
6	September 30	Colorado	0–2	Calgary		Berra	19,289	0–5–1	Recap
7[b]	October 2	Los Angeles	2–1	Colorado	SO	Berra	6,176	0–5–2	Recap
8[c]	October 4	Colorado	3–2	Los Angeles	SO	Varlamov		1–5–2	Recap
Notes: a Game was played at Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City. b Game was played at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado. c Game was played at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

Regular season

Game log
October: 3–4–4 (Home: 2–1–2 ; Road: 1–3–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 9 Colorado 0–5 Minnesota Varlamov 19,098 0–1–0 0 Recap 2 October 11 Minnesota 3–0 Colorado Varlamov 18,139 0–2–0 0 Recap 3 October 13 Colorado 2–1 Boston Berra 17,565 1–2–0 2 Recap 4 October 14 Colorado 2–3 Toronto OT Varlamov 18,754 1–2–1 3 Recap 5 October 16 Colorado 3–5 Ottawa Pickard 19,913 1–3–1 3 Recap 6 October 18 Colorado 2–3 Montreal Pickard 21,287 1–4–1 3 Recap 7 October 21 Florida 4–3 Colorado OT Berra 14,440 1–4–2 4 Recap 8 October 24 Vancouver 3–7 Colorado Varlamov 17,119 2–4–2 6 Recap 9 October 26 Colorado 1–2 Winnipeg OT Varlamov 15,016 2–4–3 7 Recap 10 October 28 San Jose 3–2 Colorado SO Varlamov 14,552 2–4–4 8 Recap 11 October 30 NY Islanders 0–5 Colorado Varlamov 12,892 3–4–4 10 Recap
November: 6–6–1 (Home: 3–4–0 ; Road: 3–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 1 Colorado 2–3 St. Louis SO Varlamov 17,498 3–4–5 11 Recap 13 November 2 Anaheim 3–2 Colorado Varlamov 15,310 3–5–5 11 Recap 14 November 4 Vancouver 5–2 Colorado Varlamov 13,221 3–6–5 11 Recap 15 November 6 Toronto 3–4 Colorado SO Berra 15,036 4–6–5 13 Recap 16 November 8 Colorado 3–4 Philadelphia Berra 19,792 4–7–5 13 Recap 17 November 11 Colorado 0–6 NY Islanders Varlamov 12,888 4–8–5 13 Recap 18 November 13 Colorado 4–3 NY Rangers SO Varlamov 18,006 5–8–5 15 Recap 19 November 15 Colorado 3–2 New Jersey Varlamov 15,626 6–8–5 17 Recap 20 November 20 Washington 3–2 Colorado Berra 16,476 6–9–5 17 Recap 21 November 22 Carolina 3–4 Colorado Pickard 17,208 7–9–5 19 Recap 22 November 25 Colorado 4–3 Arizona OT Pickard 12,163 8–9–5 21 Recap 23 November 26 Chicago 3–2 Colorado Pickard 18,007 8–10–5 21 Recap 24 November 29 Dallas 2–5 Colorado Pickard 15,761 9–10–5 23 Recap
December: 5–5–3 (Home: 3–3–1 ; Road: 2–2–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 25 December 1 Montreal 4–3 Colorado Pickard 14,038 9–11–5 23 Recap 26 December 4 Colorado 3–4 Calgary OT Varlamov 18,651 9–11–6 24 Recap 27 December 5 Colorado 2–6 Winnipeg Varlamov 15,016 9–12–6 24 Recap 28 December 9 Nashville 3–0 Colorado Pickard 12,689 9–13–6 24 Recap 29 December 11 Winnipeg 3–4 Colorado SO Pickard 14,300 10–13–6 26 Recap 30 December 13 St. Louis 3–2 Colorado OT Pickard 17,806 10–13–7 27 Recap 31 December 18 Colorado 0–1 Pittsburgh OT Pickard 18,603 10–13–8 28 Recap 32 December 20 Colorado 5–1 Buffalo Pickard 18,831 11–13–8 30 Recap 33 December 21 Colorado 2–1 Detroit SO Pickard 20,027 12–13–8 32 Recap 34 December 23 St. Louis 0–5 Colorado Varlamov 17,634 13–13–8 34 Recap 35 December 27 Chicago 5–2 Colorado Pickard 18,085 13–14–8 34 Recap 36 December 29 Colorado 0–3 St. Louis Varlamov 19,749 13–15–8 34 Recap 37 December 31 Philadelphia 3–4 Colorado OT Varlamov 18,007 14–15–8 36 Recap
January: 7–3–3 (Home: 5–1–0 ; Road: 2–2–3) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 38 January 2 Edmonton 1–2 Colorado SO Varlamov 16,050 15–15–8 38 Recap 39 January 4 Columbus 3–4 Colorado Varlamov 14,780 15–16–8 38 Recap 40 January 6 Colorado 2–0 Chicago Varlamov 21,492 16–16–8 40 Recap 41 January 8 Ottawa 2–5 Colorado Varlamov 14,697 17–16–8 42 Recap 42 January 10 Dallas 3–4 Colorado Varlamov 18,007 18–16–8 44 Recap 43 January 12 Colorado 1–2 Washington Varlamov 18,506 18–17–8 44 Recap 44 January 13 Colorado 2–3 Carolina SO Pickard 12,965 18–17–9 45 Recap 45 January 15 Colorado 4–2 Florida Varlamov 9,584 19–17–9 47 Recap 46 January 17 Colorado 2–3 Tampa Bay SO Varlamov 19,204 19–17–10 48 Recap 47 January 19 Colorado 1–3 St. Louis Varlamov 19,187 19–18–10 48 Recap 48 January 21 Boston 2–3 Colorado SO Varlamov 16,832 20–18–10 50 Recap 49 January 27 Colorado 3–4 Nashville OT Varlamov 15,566 20–18–11 51 Recap 50 January 30 Nashville 0–3 Colorado Varlamov 18,064 21–18–11 53 Recap
February: 6–7–0 (Home: 3–4–0 ; Road: 3–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 February 3 Colorado 3–2 Dallas SO Varlamov 16,521 22–18–11 55 Recap 52 February 5 Detroit 3–0 Colorado Varlamov 18,087 22–19–11 55 Recap 53 February 7 Colorado 0–1 Minnesota Varlamov 19,244 22–20–11 55 Recap 54 February 8 Colorado 3–5 Winnipeg Varlamov 15,016 22–21–11 55 Recap 55 February 12 NY Rangers 6–3 Colorado Varlamov 17,378 22–22–11 55 Recap 56 February 14 Dallas 1–4 Colorado Varlamov 18,087 23–22–11 57 Recap 57 February 16 Arizona 2–5 Colorado Varlamov 14,132 24–22–11 59 Recap 58 February 18 Los Angeles 4–1 Colorado Varlamov 15,786 24–23–11 59 Recap 59 February 20 Colorado 4–1 Chicago Varlamov 22,103 25–23–11 61 Recap 60 February 22 Tampa Bay 4–5 Colorado Varlamov 17,385 26–23–11 63 Recap 61 February 24 Colorado 2–5 Nashville Varlamov 17,113 26–24–11 63 Recap 62 February 27 Colorado 5–4 Dallas SO Varlamov 15,431 27–24–11 65 Recap 63 February 28 Minnesota 3–1 Colorado Varlamov 18,087 27–25–11 65 Recap
March: 8–4–1 (Home: 4–2–0 ; Road: 4–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 64 March 4 Pittsburgh 1–3 Colorado Varlamov 16,905 28–25–11 67 Recap 65 March 7 Colorado 4–0 Columbus Varlamov 16,599 29–25–11 69 Recap 66 March 8 Colorado 3–2 Minnesota Varlamov 19,119 30–25–11 71 Recap 67 March 10 Los Angeles 5–2 Colorado Pickard 15,724 30–26–11 71 Recap 68 March 12 New Jersey 1–2 Colorado SO Varlamov 14,607 31–26–11 73 Recap 69 March 14 Calgary 2–3 Colorado Varlamov 18,007 32–26–11 75 Recap 70 March 19 Colorado 5–2 Arizona Varlamov 11,684 33–26–11 77 Recap 71 March 20 Colorado 2–3 Anaheim OT Varlamov 17,313 33–26–12 78 Recap 72 March 23 Colorado 2–3 Calgary Varlamov 18,613 33–27–12 78 Recap 73 March 25 Colorado 3–4 Edmonton Berra 16,839 33–28–12 78 Recap 74 March 26 Colorado 4–1 Vancouver Berra 18,870 34–28–12 80 Recap 75 March 28 Buffalo 3–5 Colorado Varlamov 18,007 35–28–12 82 Recap 76 March 30 Edmonton 4–1 Colorado Varlamov 15,493 35–29–12 82 Recap
April: 4–2–0 (Home: 3–0–0 ; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 77 April 1 Colorado 1–5 San Jose Berra 17,562 35–30–12 82 Recap 78 April 3 Colorado 4–2 Anaheim Berra 17,201 36–30–12 84 Recap 79 April 4 Colorado 1–3 Los Angeles Varlamov 18,230 36–31–12 84 Recap 80 April 7 Nashville 2–3 Colorado Varlamov 13,561 37–31–12 86 Recap 81 April 9 Winnipeg 0–1 Colorado SO Berra 14,802 38–31–12 88 Recap 82 April 11 Chicago 2–3 Colorado Varlamov 18,049 39–31–12 90 Recap
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Player statistics

Final

Skaters

Regular season

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Jarome Iginla	82	29	30	59	0	42
Gabriel Landeskog	82	23	36	59	−2	79
Alex Tanguay	80	22	33	55	−1	40
Matt Duchene	82	21	34	55	3	16
Ryan O'Reilly	82	17	38	55	−5	12
Tyson Barrie	80	12	41	53	5	26
Nathan MacKinnon	64	14	24	38	−7	34
John Mitchell	68	11	15	26	−9	32
Erik Johnson	47	12	11	23	2	33
Zach Redmond	59	5	15	20	−1	24
Maxime Talbot‡	63	5	10	15	2	27
Nate Guenin	76	2	13	15	−1	32
Nick Holden	78	5	9	14	−11	28
Brad Stuart	65	3	10	13	−4	16
Jan Hejda	81	1	12	13	−12	42
Daniel Briere	57	8	4	12	−7	18
Cody McLeod	82	7	5	12	−2	191
Dennis Everberg	55	3	9	12	−7	10
Marc-Andre Cliche	74	2	5	7	−2	17
Jamie McGinn	19	4	2	6	−9	6
Joey Hishon	13	1	1	2	−1	0
Borna Rendulic	11	1	1	2	1	6
Freddie Hamilton†	17	1	0	1	−1	0
Tomas Vincour	7	0	1	1	−1	2
Andrew Agozzino	1	0	1	1	1	0
Paul Carey‡	10	0	1	1	2	0
Michael Sgarbossa‡	3	0	1	1	0	10
Patrick Bordeleau	1	0	0	0	0	0
Ryan Wilson	3	0	0	0	−3	0
Jordan Caron†	19	0	0	0	−1	2
Stefan Elliott	5	0	0	0	−2	2
Ben Street	3	0	0	0	0	0
Duncan Siemens	1	0	0	0	0	0
Colin Smith	1	0	0	0	0	0
Karl Stollery‡	5	0	0	0	3	2

Goaltenders

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	TOI	W	L	OT	GA	GAA	SA	SV%	SO	G	A	PIM
Semyon Varlamov	57	57	3,307	28	20	8	141	2.56	1791	.921	5	0	0	4
Calvin Pickard	16	13	895	6	7	3	35	2.35	511	.932	0	0	0	0
Reto Berra	19	12	748	5	4	1	33	2.65	403	.918	1	0	0	0

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Avalanche. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.
^‡Traded mid-season
Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Notable achievements

Regular season

Player	Award	Awarded
E. Johnson	NHL All-Star game selection	January 10, 2015
S. Varlamov	NHL Second Star of the Week	January 12, 2015
S. Varlamov	NHL Second Star of the Week	March 9, 2015
R. O'Reilly	NHL Third Star of the Week	March 30, 2015

Milestones

Regular season

Player	Milestone	Reached
D. Everberg	1st career NHL game	October 9, 2014
D. Briere	300th career NHL goal	October 13, 2014
C. Pickard	1st career NHL game	October 16, 2014
J. Hejda	100th career NHL assist	October 24, 2014
C. McLeod	1000th career NHL PIM	October 24, 2014
D. Everberg	1st career NHL goal 1st career NHL point	November 2, 2014
D. Everberg	1st career NHL assist	November 4, 2014
M. Talbot	600th career NHL game	November 6, 2014
R. O'Reilly	200th career NHL point	November 6, 2014
N. MacKinnon	100th career NHL game	November 13, 2014
A. Agozzino	1st career NHL game 1st career NHL assist 1st career NHL point	November 22, 2014
C. Pickard	1st career NHL win	November 22, 2014
M.-A. Cliche	100th career NHL game	November 29, 2014
C. Smith	1st career NHL game	December 1, 2014
M. Sgarbossa	1st career NHL assist 1st career NHL point	December 4, 2014
B. Rendulic	1st career NHL game	December 9, 2014
B. Stuart	1,000th career NHL game	December 18, 2014
M. Talbot	100th career NHL assist	December 20, 2014
C. McLeod	500th career NHL game	December 21, 2014
B. Rendulic	1st career NHL goal 1st career NHL point	December 31, 2014
A. Tanguay	800th career NHL point	January 8, 2015
B. Rendulic	1st career NHL assist	January 10, 2015
N. Holden	100th career NHL game	January 12, 2015
J. Iginla	1,200th career NHL point	January 30, 2015
J. Hejda	600th career NHL game	February 8, 2015
R. O'Reilly	400th career NHL game	February 12, 2015
C. McLeod	100th career NHL point	February 16, 2015
P. Carey	1st career NHL assist 1st career NHL point	February 16, 2015
M. Duchene	300th career NHL point	February 16, 2015
G. Landeskog	100th career NHL assist	February 22, 2015
N. MacKinnon	1st career NHL hat-trick	February 22, 2015
N. MacKinnon	100th career NHL point	February 24, 2015
M. Duchene	400th career NHL game	February 28, 2015
A. Tanguay	1,000th career NHL game	March 4, 2015
J. Mitchell	400th career NHL game	March 19, 2015
F. Hamilton	1st career NHL goal 1st career NHL point	March 19, 2015
T. Barrie	100th career NHL point	March 28, 2015
R. Berra	1st career NHL shutout	April 9, 2015

Transactions

The following transactions took place during the 2014–15 NHL season.

Trades

Date	Details
June 30, 2014	To Montreal Canadiens P. A. Parenteau 5th-round pick in 2015	To Colorado Avalanche Daniel Briere
July 1, 2014	To San Jose Sharks 2nd-round pick in 2016 6th-round pick in 2017	To Colorado Avalanche Brad Stuart
March 2, 2015	To Boston Bruins Paul Carey Maxime Talbot	To Colorado Avalanche Jordan Caron 6th-round pick in 2016
March 2, 2015	To San Jose Sharks Karl Stollery	To Colorado Avalanche Freddie Hamilton
March 2, 2015	To Anaheim Ducks Michael Sgarbossa	To Colorado Avalanche Mat Clark
June 25, 2015	To Boston Bruins BOS's 6th-round pick in 2016	To Colorado Avalanche Carl Soderberg (rights)

Free agents acquired

Date	Player	Former team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
July 1, 2014	Jarome Iginla	Boston Bruins	3 years, $16 million
July 1, 2014	Bruno Gervais	Adirondack Phantoms	1 year, $650,000
July 1, 2014	Ben Street	Calgary Flames	1 year, $650,000
July 1, 2014	Zach Redmond	Winnipeg Jets	2 years, $1.5 million
July 1, 2014	Jesse Winchester	Florida Panthers	2 years, $1.8 million
July 7, 2014	Maxim Noreau	Ambri-Piotta	2 years, $1.25 million
May 15, 2015	Andreas Martinsen	Düsseldorfer EG	1 year, entry-level contract

Free agents lost

Date	Player	New team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
July 1, 2014	Paul Stastny	St. Louis Blues	4 years, $28 million
July 1, 2014	Brad Malone	Carolina Hurricanes	2 years, $1.3 million
July 1, 2014	David Van der Gulik	Los Angeles Kings	1 year, $550,000
July 1, 2014	Matt Hunwick	New York Rangers	1 year, $600,000
July 23, 2014	Andre Benoit	Buffalo Sabres	1 year, $800,000

Claimed via waivers

Player

Former team

Date claimed off waivers

Lost via waivers

Player

New team

Date claimed off waivers

Lost via retirement

Date	Player	Ref
August 21, 2014	Jean Sebastien Giguere

Player signings

Date	Player	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
July 1, 2014	Nick Holden	3 years, $4.95 million contract extension
July 23, 2014	Ryan O'Reilly	2 years, $12 million contract
September 4, 2014	Tyson Barrie	2 years, $5.2 million contract
September 29, 2014	Cody McLeod	3 years, $4 million contract extension
September 29, 2014	Brad Stuart	2 years, $7.2 million contract extension
March 24, 2015	Mason Geertsen	3 years, entry-level contract
May 15, 2015	Andreas Martinsen	1 year, entry-level contract

Draft picks

See also: List of Colorado Avalanche draft picks

The 2014 NHL Entry Draft will be held on June 27–28, 2014, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationality	College/junior/club team (league)
1	23	Conner Bleackley	C	Canada	Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
3	84	Kyle Wood	D	Canada	North Bay Battalion (OHL)
4	93[a]	Nicholas Magyar	RW	United States	Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
4	114	Alexis Pepin	LW	Canada	Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
5	144	Anton Lindholm	D	Sweden	Skelleftea (SHL)
6	174	Maximilian Pajpach	G	Slovakia	Slovakia U18 (Slovakia-2)
7	204	Julien Nantel	LW	Canada	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

Draft notes

• Colorado's second-round pick went to the Calgary Flames as the result of a trade on March 5, 2014, that sent Reto Berra to Colorado in exchange for this pick.
• ^a Edmonton's fourth-round pick (previously acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs) went to Colorado as the result of a trade on April 3, 2013, that sent Ryan O'Byrne to Toronto in exchange for this pick.

References