2016–17 Colorado Avalanche season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	2016–17
Year:	2016
Team:	Colorado Avalanche
Conference:	Western
Conferencerank:	14th
Division:	Central
Divisionrank:	7th
Record:	22–56–4
Homerecord:	13–26–2
Roadrecord:	9–30–2
Goalsfor:	166
Goalsagainst:	278
Generalmanager:	Joe Sakic
Coach:	Jared Bednar
Captain:	Gabriel Landeskog
Altcaptain:	Francois Beauchemin Matt Duchene Nathan MacKinnon
Arena:	Pepsi Center
Attendance:	14,835 (82.4%)
Minorleague:	San Antonio Rampage (AHL) Colorado Eagles (ECHL)
Goalsleader:	Mikko Rantanen (20)
Assistsleader:	Nathan MacKinnon (37)
Pointsleader:	Nathan MacKinnon (53)
Plusminusleader:	Sven Andrighetto J. T. Compher (0)
Pimleader:	Nikita Zadorov (73)
Winsleader:	Calvin Pickard (15)
Gaaleader:	Calvin Pickard (2.98)

The 2016–17 Colorado Avalanche season was the 22nd operational season and 21st playing season for the Colorado Avalanche since the franchise relocated from Quebec prior to the start of the 1995–96 NHL season,^[1] as well as the franchise's 38th season in the National Hockey League and 45th season overall.

Under first-year head coach Jared Bednar, the Avalanche got off to a respectable start, and were only two games below .500 by December 1. However, they only won a total of four games in December and January combined. By the All-Star Break, they were 13-31-2, and their season was all but finished. They would only win nine more games after that to finish 22-56-4, the worst record in the NHL. They missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year having missed the playoffs by 46 points in the standings. They finished the season with their fewest points since moving to Denver in 1995, and their fewest since 1990–91, which was also the last time the franchise finished in last place overall. The Avalanche's 48 points were among the fewest for a non-expansion team since 1967, and the second fewest for any team playing an 82-game season where one point is earned for losing in overtime or a shootout, only ahead of the 2023–24 San Jose Sharks (who finished with 47 points). As of the 2023–24 NHL season, this is the most recent time the Avalanche have missed the playoffs.

Off-season

On August 11, 2016, Patrick Roy resigned as head coach and vice president of hockey operations.^[2] On August 25, the Avalanche hired Jared Bednar of the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters as Roy's replacement. He had led the Monsters to winning the AHL championship in the previous season.^[3] Bednar was hired less than a month before the start of training camp. With nowhere near enough time to assemble his own staff, he was forced to retain Roy's assistants. He was also unable to install his own system.^[4]

Schedule and results

Pre-season

Pre-season Game Log: 6–0–0 (Home: 3–0–0 ; Road: 3–0–0)^[5]
	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 27	Colorado	4–1				16,920	1–0–0	Recap
2	September 28		2–4	Colorado			—	2–0–0	Recap
3	September 30		1–3	Colorado			—	3–0–0	Recap
4	October 4		0–2	Colorado		Varlamov	—	4–0–0	Recap
5	October 5	Colorado	1–0				14,120	5–0–0	Recap
6	October 8	Colorado	2–1		OT	—	—	6–0–0	Recap
Notes: Game played at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

Regular season

Game Log^[6]
October: 4–3–0 (Home: 1–1–0 ; Road: 3–2–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 15 5–6 Colorado 18,007 1–0–0 2 Recap 2 October 17 Colorado 4–3 OT 18,431 2–0–0 4 Recap 3 October 18 Colorado 0–3 Varlamov 18,506 2–1–0 4 Recap 4 October 20 Colorado 4–0 Varlamov 19,092 3–1–0 6 Recap 5 October 22 Colorado 2–5 Varlamov 14,326 3–2–0 6 Recap 6 October 28 1–0 Colorado Varlamov 16,135 3–3–0 6 Recap 7 October 29 Colorado 3–2 Pickard 13,533 4–3–0 8 Recap
November: 5–8–1 (Home: 3–5–1 ; Road: 2–3–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 8 November 1 5–1 Colorado 12,142 4–4–0 8 Recap 9 November 3 Colorado 0–4 Varlamov 21,580 4–5–0 8 Recap 10 November 5 0–1 Colorado 16,256 5–5–0 10 Recap 11 November 6 Colorado 1–5 Varlamov 17,220 5–6–0 10 Recap 12 November 8 4–2 Colorado Pickard 13,858 5–7–0 10 Recap 13 November 11 2–3 Colorado OT Varlamov 16,517 6–7–0 12 Recap 14 November 13 2–0 Colorado Varlamov 15,808 6–8–0 12 Recap 15 November 15 1–4 Colorado Varlamov 14,805 7–8–0 14 Recap 16 November 17 Colorado 2–3 Varlamov 18,237 7–9–0 14 Recap 17 November 19 Colorado 3–2 Pickard 19,238 8–9–0 16 Recap 18 November 21 Colorado 3–2 OT Varlamov 10,063 9–9–0 18 Recap 19 November 23 6–3 Colorado Varlamov 15,185 9–10–0 18 Recap 20 November 26 3–2 Colorado SO Pickard 15,511 9–10–1 19 Recap 21 November 29 5–3 Colorado Pickard 12,082 9–11–1 19 Recap
December: 3–12–0 (Home: 0–7–0 ; Road: 3–5–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 22 December 1 3–2 Colorado 12,141 9–12–1 19 Recap 23 December 3 3–0 Colorado Varlamov 16,725 9–13–1 19 Recap 24 December 6 Colorado 3–4 Varlamov 17,113 9–14–1 19 Recap 25 December 8 Colorado 4–2 17,565 10–14–1 21 Recap 26 December 10 Colorado 1–10 Pickard 21,288 10–15–1 21 Recap 27 December 11 Colorado 3–1 Varlamov 18,875 11–15–1 23 Recap 28 December 14 4–3 Colorado Pickard 14,456 11–16–1 23 Recap 29 December 16 3–1 Colorado Pickard 14,679 11–17–1 23 Recap 30 December 18 Colorado 1–4 Pickard 15,294 11–18–1 23 Recap 31 December 20 Colorado 0–2 Varlamov 19,018 11–19–1 23 Recap 32 December 22 6–0 Colorado Varlamov 15,502 11–20–1 23 Recap 33 December 23 Colorado 2–1 OT Pickard 21,918 12–20–1 25 Recap 34 December 27 6–3 Colorado Pickard 14,634 12–21–1 25 Recap 35 December 29 Colorado 2–4 Pickard 18,532 12–22–1 25 Recap 36 December 31 6–2 Colorado Pickard 17,609 12–23–1 25 Recap
January: 1–9–1 (Home: 1–5–0 ; Road: 0–4–1) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 37 January 2 Colorado 2–3 18,865 12–24–1 25 Recap 38 January 4 Colorado 1–4 Pickard 18,388 12–25–1 25 Recap 39 January 6 1–2 Colorado OT Pickard 14,788 13–25–1 27 Recap 40 January 12 4–1 Colorado 14,589 13–26–1 27 Recap 41 January 14 3–2 Colorado Varlamov 16,096 13–27–1 27 Recap 42 January 17 6–4 Colorado Varlamov 18,007 13–28–1 27 Recap 43 January 19 Colorado 1–2 Pickard 15,414 13–29–1 27 Recap 44 January 21 Colorado 2–3 OT 17,562 13–29–2 28 Recap 45 January 23 5–2 Colorado Martin 13,803 13–30–2 28 Recap 46 January 25 3–2 Colorado Pickard 12,819 13–31–2 28 Recap January 27–29 All-Star Break in Los Angeles 47 January 31 Colorado 1–5 Pickard 15,963 13–32–2 28 Recap
February: 4–9–1 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 1–7–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 48 February 1 Colorado 0–5 18,230 13–33–2 28 Recap 49 February 4 2–5 Colorado 13,930 14–33–2 30 Recap 50 February 7 0–4 Colorado Pickard 12,667 15–33–2 32 Recap 51 February 9 4–1 Colorado Pickard 16,777 15–34–2 32 Recap 52 February 11 Colorado 2–4 Pickard 18,006 15–35–2 32 Recap 53 February 12 Colorado 1–5 Pickard 14,107 15–36–2 32 Recap 54 February 14 Colorado 2–3 12,462 15–37–2 32 Recap 55 February 16 Colorado 0–2 Pickard 18,335 15–38–2 32 Recap 56 February 17 Colorado 2–1 OT Pickard 11,456 16–38–2 34 Recap 57 February 19 3–2 Colorado OT Pickard 17,270 16–38–3 35 Recap 58 February 21 2–1 Colorado Pickard 13,768 16–39–3 35 Recap 59 February 23 Colorado 2–4 Smith 17,243 16–40–3 35 Recap 60 February 25 3–5 Colorado Smith 15,362 17–40–3 37 Recap 61 February 28 Colorado 0–4 Smith 19,564 17–41–3 37 Recap
March: 4–12–0 (Home: 4–5–0 ; Road: 0–7–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 62 March 2 Colorado 1–2 16,932 17–42–3 37 Recap 63 March 4 Colorado 1–6 Pickard 15,294 17–43–3 37 Recap 64 March 5 3–0 Colorado Smith 14,477 17–44–3 37 Recap 65 March 7 1–3 Colorado Pickard 11,700 18–44–3 39 Recap 66 March 9 2–3 Colorado Pickard 11,886 19–44–3 41 Recap 67 March 11 4–2 Colorado Pickard 15,317 19–45–3 41 Recap 68 March 13 Colorado 0–1 Pickard 11,521 19–46–3 41 Recap 69 March 15 1–3 Colorado Pickard 16,764 20–46–3 43 Recap 70 March 18 Colorado 1–5 Pickard 20,027 20–47–3 43 Recap 71 March 19 Colorado 3–6 Smith 22,070 20–48–3 43 Recap 72 March 21 4–2 Colorado Pickard 11,687 20–49–3 43 Recap 73 March 23 7–4 Colorado Smith 14,142 20–50–3 43 Recap 74 March 25 Colorado 1–4 Pickard 18,347 20–51–3 43 Recap 75 March 27 Colorado 2–4 Pickard 17,785 20–52–3 43 Recap 76 March 29 5–3 Colorado Pickard 13,820 20–53–3 43 Recap 77 March 31 1–2 Colorado SO Pickard 14,763 21–53–3 45 Recap
April: 1–3–1 (Home: 1–1–0 ; Road: 0–2–1) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 2 Colorado 2–5 19,164 21–54–3 45 Recap 79 April 4 3–4 Colorado OT Pickard 16,203 22–54–3 47 Recap 80 April 6 4–3 Colorado Pickard 15,565 22–55–3 47 Recap 81 April 8 Colorado 3–4 SO 18,532 22–55–4 48 Recap 82 April 9 Colorado 2–3 Pickard 18,971 22–56–4 48 Recap
Legend:

Player stats

Skaters

Regular season

Player
	82	16	37	53	−14	16
	77	18	23	41	−34	12
	75	20	18	38	−25	22
	74	7	31	38	−34	18
	72	18	15	33	−25	62
	75	10	13	23	−14	18
	77	8	12	20	−19	58
	65	12	6	18	−19	56
^‡	61	8	10	18	−21	54
	81	5	13	18	−14	32
	46	2	15	17	−6	9
^†	19	5	11	16	0	8
	80	6	8	14	−26	22
	69	1	12	13	−25	38
	57	4	8	12	−18	23
^†	43	7	4	11	−9	4
	56	0	10	10	−20	73
^†	34	2	7	9	−6	4
	62	4	4	8	−21	34
^‡	55	3	4	7	−10	32
	65	3	4	7	−12	45
	21	3	2	5	0	4
	33	0	5	5	−10	25
	1	1	0	1	+1	2
	6	1	0	1	−5	0
^‡	28	1	0	1	−2	52
	4	0	1	1	−3	2
	5	0	1	1	−2	4
	27	0	1	1	−4	12
	12	0	0	0	−8	2
	6	0	0	0	0	0
^‡	4	0	0	0	−2	0
	3	0	0	0	−2	2

Goaltenders

Regular season

Player
	50	48	2820:16	15	31	2	140	2.98	1461	.904	2	0	2	0
	24	23	1347:47	6	17	0	76	3.38	745	.898	1	0	0	0
	10	8	542:43	1	6	1	32	3.54	286	.888	0	0	0	0
	3	3	179:26	0	2	1	13	4.35	96	.865	0	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

Transactions

The Colorado Avalanche were involved in the following transactions during the 2016–17 NHL season.

Trades

Date			Ref
	To New York Rangers----Nick Holden	To Colorado Avalanche----4th-round pick in 2017	^[7]
	To Columbus Blue Jackets----Ryan Stanton	To Colorado Avalanche----Cody Goloubef	^[8]
	To Nashville Predators----Cody McLeod	To Colorado Avalanche----Felix Girard	^[9]
	To Los Angeles Kings----Jarome Iginla	To Colorado Avalanche----conditional 4th-round pick in 2018	^[10]
	To Montreal Canadiens----Andreas Martinsen	To Colorado Avalanche----Sven Andrighetto	^[11]

Free agents acquired

Date	Player	Former team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
			1 year, $800,000	^[12]
			2 years, $5 million	^[13]
			1 year, $2 million	^[14]
			1 year, $575,000
			1 year, $600,000
			1 year
			1 year, $600,000
			1 year
			1 year, $600,000
			2 years, $1.225 million
			1 year, $600,000
			1 year, $675,000	^[15]
			1 year, $800,000	^[16]
			1 year, $650,000

Free agents lost

Date	Player	New team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
			1 year, $600,000	^[17]
			4 years, $16 million	^[18]
			1 year, $575,000	^[19]
			2 years, $1.45 million	^[20]
			2 years, $4.25 million	^[21]
			2 years, $1.225 million	^[22]
			1 year, $600,000	^[23]
			1 year, $650,000	^[24]
			1 year, $700,000	^[25]

Claimed via waivers

Player	Former team	Date claimed off waivers	Ref
		January 5, 2017	^[26]
		February 2, 2017	^[27]

Player signings

Date	Player	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
		1 year, $640,000	^[29]
		3 years, entry-level contract	^[30]
		2 years, $2 million	^[31]
		7 years, $44.1 million contract extension	^[32]
		1 year, $1.3 million	^[33]
		4 years, $22 million	^[34]
		3 years, $2.45 million entry-level contract	^[35]
		3 years, $2.775 million entry-level contract	^[36]
		3 years, $5.1125 million entry-level contract	^[37]
		2 years, $1.85 million entry-level	^[38]

Draft picks

See also: List of Colorado Avalanche draft picks. Below are the Colorado Avalanche's selections at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, to be held on June 24–25, 2016 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.

Round		Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	10	Tyson Jost	C	Canada	Penticton Vees (BCHL)
2	40	Cameron Morrison	LW	Canada	Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
3	71	Josh Anderson	D	Canada	Prince George Cougars (WHL)
5	131	Adam Werner	G	Sweden	Farjestad BK (SHL)
6	161	Nathan Clurman	D	United States	Culver Eagles (US-IN HS)
7	191	Travis Barron	LW	Canada	Ottawa 67's (OHL)

Draft notes^[39]

• The Colorado Avalanche's second-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015 that sent Buffalo's second-round pick in 2015 to San Jose in exchange for a second-round pick in 2015, Colorado's sixth-round pick in 2017 and this pick.^[40]

San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 1, 2014 that sent Brad Stuart to Colorado in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2017 and this pick.^[41]

• The Colorado Avalanche's fourth-round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on February 21, 2016 that sent Shawn Matthias to Colorado in exchange for Colin Smith and this pick.^[42]

Notes and References

1. Book: National Hockey League. The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2014. 2013. Diamond Sports Data, Inc.. 45. 978-1-894801-26-3.
2. Web site: Patrick Roy parts ways with Avalanche organization . . August 11, 2016.
3. News: Jared Bednar selected as new Colorado Avalanche head coach . . August 25, 2016.
4. Web site: Avalanche 2016–17 Season in Review: Colorado sinks to new low – The Denver Post. April 26, 2017. April 7, 2017.
5. Web site: Avalanche Announces 2016-17 Preseason Schedule - Colorado Avalanche - News. June 24, 2016. Colorado Avalanche. June 7, 2016.
6. Web site: 2016-2017 Regular Season Schedule/Results - Colorado Avalanche - Schedule. June 24, 2016. Colorado Avalanche.
7. Web site: Avalanche Acquires 2017 Draft Pick From Rangers. avalanche.nhl.com. Colorado Avalanche. June 27, 2016.
8. Web site: Cody Goloubef Acquired From Columbus. avalanche.nhl.com. Colorado Avalanche. November 29, 2016.
9. Web site: Avalanche Acquires Felix Girard From Predators. avalanche.nhl.com. Colorado Avalanche. January 13, 2017.
10. Web site: Avalanche Acquires Fourth-Round Pick From L.A.. avalanche.nhl.com. Colorado Avalanche. March 1, 2017.
11. Web site: Avalanche Acquires Andrighetto From Montreal. avalanche.nhl.com. Colorado Avalanche. March 1, 2017.
12. Web site: Avalanche Signs Patrick Wiercioch. Colorado Avalanche. July 5, 2016.
13. Web site: Avalanche Signs Joe Colborne. Colorado Avalanche. July 5, 2016.
14. Web site: Avalanche Signs Fedor Tyutin. Colorado Avalanche. July 5, 2016.
15. Web site: Avalanche Signs Ben Smith. Colorado Avalanche. August 16, 2016.
16. Web site: Avalanche Signs Gabriel And Rene Bourque. Colorado Avalanche. October 10, 2016.
17. Web site: Ducks Sign D Guenin to One-Year Contract. Anaheim Ducks. July 2, 2016.
18. Web site: Sharks Sign Forward Mikkel Boedker. Sharks.nhl.com. July 5, 2016.
19. Web site: Canucks sign Chaput, Rendulic & Billins. nhl.com. July 5, 2016.
20. Web site: Dallas Stars Sign Defensemen Andrew Bodnarchuk and Dustin Stevenson. nhl.com. July 5, 2016.
21. Web site: Jets agree to terms with Shawn Matthias. . July 1, 2016 . July 5, 2016.
22. Web site: Canadiens agree to terms on a two-year contract with free agent Zach Redmond. Canadiens.com. July 1, 2016.
23. Web site: Blues Add Depth, Agree to Terms with 9 Players . NHL.com . July 2, 2016.
24. Web site: DEVILS SIGN DEFENSEMAN BRANDON GORMLEY TO A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT. nhl.com. August 2, 2016.
25. Web site: Canucks Sign Jack Skille to One-Year Contract. nhl.com. October 17, 2016.
26. Web site: Avalanche claim Nieto, who's 'definitely an NHL player'. NBC Sports. January 5, 2017.
27. Web site: Mark Barberio Claimed On Waivers. Colorado Avalanche. February 2, 2017.
28. Web site: Toronto Maple Leafs place Milan Michalek on waivers, claim Ben Smith from Colorado . Brownscombe . Alec . Maple Leafs Hot Stove . October 24, 2016. October 24, 2016.
29. Web site: Avalanche Signs Andreas Martinsen. nhl.com. June 24, 2016.
30. Web site: Avalanche Signs A.J. Greer. nhl.com. July 5, 2016.
31. Web site: Avalanche Signs Calvin Pickard. nhl.com. July 6, 2016.
32. Web site: Avalanche Signs MacKinnon To Seven-Year Contract. nhl.com. July 11, 2016.
33. Web site: Avalanche Agrees To Terms With Grigorenko. nhl.com. July 22, 2016.
34. Web site: Avalanche Signs Barrie. nhl.com. August 2, 2016.
35. Web site: Avalanche sign two prospects to entry-level contracts. bsndenver.com. May 28, 2017.
36. Web site: Avalanche's Nicolas Meloche: Signs contract Monday. cbssports.com. May 28, 2017.
37. Web site: Avalanche Signs Tyson Jost To Entry-Level Contract. nhl.com. March 30, 2017.
38. Web site: Avalanche Signs Mironov. nhl.com. June 3, 2017.
39. Web site: 2016 NHL Entry Draft Pending Transactions. Pro Sports Transactions. June 27, 2016.
40. Web site: Trades completed during 2015 NHL Draft weekend. June 27, 2015. June 27, 2015.
41. Web site: Avalanche Acquires Brad Stuart. July 1, 2014. July 20, 2014.
42. Web site: Leafs deal Matthias to Avalanche for prospect and a pick. February 21, 2016. February 21, 2016.