Claude Lemieux sees Stanley Cup potential in Avalanche, much like his title team in ’95-96

DENVER (AP) — The Stanley Cup was in the building Thursday night as part of the pregame celebration to honor the 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche squad.

It could be in the building again later this season, too.

At least, longtime forward Claude Lemieux believes so. He’s been on four Stanley Cup-winning teams, including the ‘95-96 Avalanche squad. This team, he surmised after watching a 6-2 win over the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers, has all the necessary ingredients.

“I love watching them play,” said Lemieux, whose squad back then won the Mile High City’s first major professional championship in their first season in town after relocating from Quebec. “They’re fun to watch.”

In a lot of ways, this version is built in the image of that squad. No real surprise there, given the architect of this team is Hall of Famer turned front office executive Joe Sakic.

Back then, Sakic, the captain, and fellow Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg helped provide the scoring punch in a season that ended with a Stanley Cup Final sweep over Florida. Colorado had a blue line that include a rugged defender in Adam Foote and a scoring defenseman in Sandis Ozolinsh. They also had another Hall of Famer in goaltender Patrick Roy.

This team has that same sort of makeup. They have an elite goal scorer (Nathan MacKinnon), leadership (captain Gabriel Landeskog), even more leadership (40-year-old Brent Burns), a scoring defenseman (Cale Makar) and reliable goaltending (Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood).

The current crew watched Thursday night as the players from the ’95-96 squad were recognized. They heard the applause. They then went out and put on a show for them.

“This team knows what it takes,” Lemieux said. “They have players, quite a few of them, that were on the ‘22 Cup. I think it could be the ’26 Cup.”

The Avalanche (22-2-7) have a league-leading 51 points so far this season as they became the sixth team in the last 20 years to reach the 50-point plateau in 31 or fewer games. What’s more, they still haven’t lost a game at home in regulation (12-0-2).

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar thinks it was a valuable experience having the older players back in the building. The current roster briefly got to chat with them Thursday morning, and hear some stories.

“Obviously, they accomplished that two years before I was born,” Makar cracked. “But I’ve obviously heard a lot about it. It’s pretty cool they bring legends like that back.”

Some of the Avalanche players who made the trip to the rink for the ceremony from the 1995-96 squad included Forsberg, Stephane Yelle, Valeri Kamensky, Lemieux, Ozolinsh, Mike Ricci and, of course, Sakic.

“For them to be able to come back and get together as a group and share their stories with our guys and amongst one another, I’m sure it’s been a great couple days for them,” Bednar said. “We’ve been really happy that they were able to come and visit us.”

It gave the old-timers a chance to stroll down memory lane.

“When it’s happening, when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t quite appreciate it as much as you should,” said Lemieux, who also won Stanley Cup titles with Montreal (1985-86) and two with the New Jersey Devils (1994-5, 1999-00). “So you get to relive it now.”

How has the game has changed?

“We think we’re better — no, we’re just kidding,” Lemieux said. “The game’s change. It’s not as physical as it was, but to counter that physicality they’ve got so much more skills. So we appreciate the game. We appreciate their skills and everything they bring.”

The get-together provided a chance to remember old teammates, too. The late Chris Simon was represented during the on-ice ceremony by his children. He died in 2024 at 52.

“It’s very difficult, and especially with Chris passing at such a young age,” Lemieux said. “We have to count our blessings — be grateful for the days that we have and enjoy and appreciate those times when we get together.”

Lemieux certainly enjoyed being around this new cast of Avalanche.

“We hope we bring them good luck,” Lemieux said, “and inspire them to win another Cup.”

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