Denver is still buzzing. Honestly, if you walk into any dive bar near Ball Arena today, you’ll likely find someone wearing a tattered Cale Makar jersey, ready to explain why the 2022 championship was the most dominant postseason performance of the modern era. They aren't wrong.
The Colorado Avs Stanley Cup win wasn’t just a fluke or a lucky bounce in triple overtime. It was a masterclass. It was the culmination of a decade of losing, drafting, and eventually, the kind of aggressive roster building that makes other GMs sweat. When Joe Sakic traded for Artturi Lehkonen, people thought he overpaid. Then Lehkonen scored the goal that sent them to the Finals. Then he scored the Cup-clinching goal against Tampa Bay.
Funny how that works.
Breaking the Lightning Dynasty
You have to remember what the NHL looked like in June 2022. The Tampa Bay Lightning were basically the final boss of a video game. They had won two straight titles. They had Andrei Vasilevskiy, a goalie who seemed to grow extra limbs whenever the stakes got high. Most analysts figured the Avalanche were too "finesse." People said they were too soft for the grind of a seven-game series against a veteran squad.
They were wrong.
The Avs didn't just play hockey; they played at a speed that looked like the film was being fast-forwarded. It started with Game 1. That 4-3 overtime win was a statement. Gabriel Landeskog, playing on what we now know was essentially a ruined knee, was the heartbeat. But the real story was the defense.
Cale Makar wasn't just a defenseman. He was a cheat code. He finished that playoff run with 29 points in 20 games. To put that in perspective, most elite forwards would sell their souls for those numbers. He became only the third defenseman in history to win the Norris and the Conn Smythe in the same season. Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom are the only others. That’s the company he keeps.
🔗 Read more: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
The Long Road from 48 Points
It’s easy to forget that just five years before lifting the trophy, this team was a disaster. The 2016-17 season was a literal nightmare. They finished with 48 points. Not 48 wins. 48 points. It was the worst record in the salary-cap era.
Fans were calling for everyone to be fired. Joe Sakic, the franchise icon, stayed patient. He didn't panic-trade Nathan MacKinnon. Instead, he waited. He turned Matt Duchene into a massive haul of picks and players—including Samuel Girard and the pick that became Bowen Byram.
This is where the Colorado Avs Stanley Cup story actually begins. It begins in the basement. It’s a lesson in "trusting the process" that actually worked. Nathan MacKinnon, who is probably the most intense human being currently skating on ice, became a monster. He decided he was tired of losing. You could see it in the way he skated—aggressive, angry, and incredibly fast.
The Nichushkin Factor
If you want to sound like an expert when talking about this team, mention Valeri Nichushkin.
Before he got to Colorado, Nichushkin was a "bust." He went an entire season in Dallas without scoring a single goal. Not one. Colorado picked him up for basically nothing. In the 2022 Finals, he was arguably the best player on the ice not named Makar. He was a puck-hounding machine. This highlights the Avs' real secret sauce: they found guys that other teams gave up on and put them in a system that emphasized their speed.
The Injury Scare Nobody Talks About
We almost didn't get that parade.
💡 You might also like: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
During the Western Conference Finals against Edmonton, Nazem Kadri got boarded by Evander Kane. His finger was shattered. He needed surgery. For most players, that’s a season-ender.
Kadri came back sixteen days later.
In Game 4 of the Finals, he scored the overtime winner. It was one of those "did that actually happen?" moments. The puck got stuck in the top mesh of the net, and for about five seconds, nobody knew where it was. Kadri knew. He was already skating toward the bench while everyone else was looking at the ice. That goal basically broke the Lightning's spirit. It’s these small, gritty moments that separate a "good" team from a champion.
The Strategy That Toppled a Giant
Speed kills. That was the mantra.
The Avs coaching staff, led by Jared Bednar, realized that the NHL was changing. You didn't need 250-pound enforcers anymore. You needed guys who could transition from defense to offense in 1.5 seconds.
By having Makar and Devon Toews on the top pair, Colorado basically played with four forwards. They dared Tampa to keep up. They pressured the Lightning's defense so high up the zone that Tampa couldn't even breathe. It was a relentless, suffocating style of play.
📖 Related: Finding the Best Texas Longhorns iPhone Wallpaper Without the Low-Res Junk
Think about the goalie situation too. Darcy Kuemper wasn't a superstar. He was "good enough." He struggled with an eye injury during the run, and Pavel Francouz had to step in. Most teams would fold if their starter went down. The Avs just kept scoring. They won games 8-6. They won games 1-0. They were chameleons.
Why the 2022 Win Still Matters Today
The Colorado Avs Stanley Cup victory changed how teams are built in 2026. You see it across the league now. Every GM is looking for "the next Cale Makar"—a mobile, offensive-minded defenseman who can log 30 minutes a night.
But it also showed that veteran leadership isn't just a cliché. Gabriel Landeskog’s absence in the years following that win proves how vital he was. He was the one who calmed MacKinnon down. He was the one who parked his body in front of the net and took cross-checks so the skill guys could work.
The 2022 run was the perfect storm of elite talent, savvy trades, and a chip on the shoulder from years of being called "underachievers."
Actionable Insights for Hockey Fans and Analysts
If you're looking to understand the "Colorado Model" or just want to appreciate the nuances of that championship, here are the takeaways that actually matter:
- Watch the transition play: Go back and look at Game 2 of the 2022 Finals. Notice how the Colorado defensemen never just "dump the puck." They carry it. They pass it. They are the primary playmakers. This is the blueprint for modern hockey.
- Value the "Secondary" Trades: The deadline acquisitions of Josh Manson and Artturi Lehkonen were the difference-makers. Don't just look at the superstars; look at the guys who win board battles in the third period.
- The Power of the First Round: Colorado swept Nashville. Then they dismantled St. Louis (mostly). Then they swept Edmonton. Saving energy in the early rounds is the only way to have enough gas left to beat a team like Tampa Bay in the end.
- Drafting is Only Half the Battle: The Avs drafted well (MacKinnon, Rantanen, Makar), but they also recognized when to move on from assets. They weren't afraid to be aggressive when the "window" was open.
The 2022 Colorado Avalanche weren't just the best team that year; they were a glimpse into the future of the sport. They proved that you can win with speed over size, and that a 48-point season isn't a death sentence—it’s a starting line if you have the right leadership in the front office.