Colorado Rockies (NHL)
Encyclopedia
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey
team in the National Hockey League
(NHL) that played in Denver, Colorado
, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts
, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford
, New Jersey
, in 1982 and was renamed the New Jersey Devils
. The NHL would not return to Denver until 1995, when the Quebec Nordiques
moved to become the Colorado Avalanche
.
, had been awarded a "conditional" NHL franchise for the 1976–77 season
. With McNichols Sports Arena
already complete by 1975, he looked to enter the NHL a year early, and the league attempted to broker an arrangement by which he would acquire the struggling California Golden Seals
franchise and move them to Denver in lieu of an expansion team. At the same time, the Pittsburgh Penguins
would be sold to a Seattle-based group that had also won a conditional franchise for that city.
The proposed arrangement fell through, and with the continuing franchise difficulties, the NHL called off the 1976-77 expansion. The Spurs then elected to move to the World Hockey Association
(WHA) for the 1975-76 season, but low attendance, financial difficulties and rumors that the NHL was preparing to move the Seals or Kansas City Scouts
to Denver prompted Mullenix to move the Spurs to Ottawa
almost halfway through the season. Unfortunately, the Ottawa Civics
lasted only two weeks before folding. The Seals ultimately relocated to Cleveland for the 1976-77 season, where they played for two years as the Barons
before merging with the Minnesota North Stars
prior to the 1978-79 season
.
Meanwhile, the Scouts were on the verge of collapse despite having entered the NHL only two years earlier. Despite having suffered a hideous 12-win season in 1975-76, they had fared somewhat better on the ice over their first two years than their expansion brethren, the Washington Capitals
. However, their ownership group lacked the resources and patience to handle the typical struggles of an expansion team. Additionally, the Scouts were hobbled by an economic downturn in the Midwest. Facing almost $1 million in debt, the Scouts mounted a season-ticket drive to raise revenue. However, when they only managed to sell 2,000 tickets, the Scouts decided to pull up stakes and get out. The team was sold to a Denver-based group headed by Jack Vickers, who moved the team to Denver as the Rockies.
was so weak that year that the team finished second behind the Chicago Black Hawks, the only team in the division with a .500 record. This allowed them to edge out the Vancouver Canucks
for the last playoff spot by two points (in those days, the division runners-up were guaranteed a playoff spot). The Rockies went down rather meekly in the first round, losing to the Philadelphia Flyers
in a two-game sweep. They would not make the playoffs again until 1988
– their sixth year in New Jersey.
The Rockies did have some outstanding players for a short time. Barry Beck
set a record in his rookie year for goals by a rookie defenceman, and Lanny McDonald
was traded to the Rockies by Toronto
. In addition, the team at various times had such players as Chico Resch
, Wilf Paiement
, Rene Robert
, Rob Ramage
, Bobby Schmautz
, Steve Tambellini
and Brent Ashton
. But the team always had a lack of overall depth and traded such quality for quantity. Reported poor management did not help, either.
winner, was named head coach after being fired by the Boston Bruins
. Under Cherry, the Rockies adopted the motto "Come to the fights and watch a Rockies game break out!" This could be seen on billboards all over Denver in the 1979–80 season and rejuvenated the ailing club.
However, as he later admitted, Cherry's outspokenness and feuding with Rockies general manager Ray Miron
did not endear him to the front office. While Cherry did much to motivate the players, goaltending was still the team's weakness as Miron refused to replace Hardy Astrom
, whom Cherry dubbed "The Swedish Sieve". Cherry recalled one game where his players had got ten shots on goal without scoring, but Astrom then conceded a goal from the opponent's first shot and so was yanked from net.
The Rockies finished with 51 points, and it was apparent that management would scapegoat Cherry for not making the playoffs. In their final game, which was held at home, Cherry's team defeated the Penguins 5–0. As it was already known that Cherry would not be back next season, he wore a cowboy hat and cowboy boots for what would be his last NHL game, and after the final buzzer sounded his players formed two lines for him, with sticks raised to form an arch to walk between while he acknowledged the cheers of the crowd.
shipping tycoon John McMullen
bought the team. He announced that he had "big plans" for the franchise, but they involved playing in the then-new Brendan Byrne Arena in the New Jersey Meadowlands
. The Rockies had actually petitioned to move to New Jersey in 1978, but the NHL vetoed the move because the Byrne Arena was still under construction, and there was no suitable temporary facility in New Jersey at the time. The team was relocated for the 1982-83 season and renamed the New Jersey Devils
.
, who left the NHL in 1996, the year that the newly relocated NHL team, the Colorado Avalanche
won their first Stanley Cup
Championship. The Avalanche had played 23 seasons as the Quebec Nordiques
. Two other former Rockies, Paul Gagne and Rich Chernomaz, played until 1999 in the Swiss and German leagues, respectively.
The Colorado Avalanche and the New Jersey Devils met each other in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals
, with the Avalanche winning the series and the championship in seven games; the deciding game was in Denver. By this time, former Rockies head coach Don Cherry was now with Hockey Night in Canada
. The Devils have been far more successful as a New Jersey team than before the move to New Jersey, having rivalries with the New York Rangers
, Philadelphia Flyers
, and to a lesser extent the New York Islanders
(all but the Flyers play in the same metro area as the Devils).
The song "Rock and Roll, Pt. 2
" (AKA "the Hey Song") was first played in a sport setting at Rockies games in the late 1970s and was later played in most North American hockey games to celebrate home team scores for the better part of 25 years.
The NHL Colorado Rockies should not be confused with the Major League Baseball
team of the same name
that began playing in the National League
in 1993
.
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) that played in Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts
Kansas City Scouts
The Kansas City Scouts was a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1974–76. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies...
, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, in 1982 and was renamed the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The NHL would not return to Denver until 1995, when the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
moved to become the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
.
Bringing the NHL to Denver
Ivan Mullenix, owner of the Central Hockey League's Denver SpursDenver Spurs
The Denver Spurs were a professional ice hockey team based out of Denver, Colorado. The Spurs began play in the Western Hockey League in 1968, and played at the Denver Coliseum. The Spurs became the first professional sports team in Colorado to win a championship in 1971–72...
, had been awarded a "conditional" NHL franchise for the 1976–77 season
1976-77 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
. With McNichols Sports Arena
McNichols Sports Arena
McNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena, in Denver, Colorado, USA, adjacent to Mile High Stadium. Completed in 1975, at a cost of $10 million, it seated 16,061, for hockey games, 17,171, for basketball games and contained 27 luxury suites, which were installed as part of the 1986 renovation. It...
already complete by 1975, he looked to enter the NHL a year early, and the league attempted to broker an arrangement by which he would acquire the struggling California Golden Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
franchise and move them to Denver in lieu of an expansion team. At the same time, the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
would be sold to a Seattle-based group that had also won a conditional franchise for that city.
The proposed arrangement fell through, and with the continuing franchise difficulties, the NHL called off the 1976-77 expansion. The Spurs then elected to move to the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
(WHA) for the 1975-76 season, but low attendance, financial difficulties and rumors that the NHL was preparing to move the Seals or Kansas City Scouts
Kansas City Scouts
The Kansas City Scouts was a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1974–76. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies...
to Denver prompted Mullenix to move the Spurs to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
almost halfway through the season. Unfortunately, the Ottawa Civics
Ottawa Civics
The Ottawa Civics was a professional ice hockey team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that played a portion of one season in the World Hockey Association in a mid-season relocation of the Denver Spurs.-Move to Ottawa:...
lasted only two weeks before folding. The Seals ultimately relocated to Cleveland for the 1976-77 season, where they played for two years as the Barons
Cleveland Barons (NHL)
The Cleveland Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1976–78. They were a relocation of the California Golden Seals franchise, which had played in Oakland since 1967...
before merging with the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
prior to the 1978-79 season
1978-79 NHL season
The 1978–79 NHL season was the 62nd season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals four games to one for their fourth Cup in a row...
.
Meanwhile, the Scouts were on the verge of collapse despite having entered the NHL only two years earlier. Despite having suffered a hideous 12-win season in 1975-76, they had fared somewhat better on the ice over their first two years than their expansion brethren, the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. However, their ownership group lacked the resources and patience to handle the typical struggles of an expansion team. Additionally, the Scouts were hobbled by an economic downturn in the Midwest. Facing almost $1 million in debt, the Scouts mounted a season-ticket drive to raise revenue. However, when they only managed to sell 2,000 tickets, the Scouts decided to pull up stakes and get out. The team was sold to a Denver-based group headed by Jack Vickers, who moved the team to Denver as the Rockies.
Continued struggles
Unfortunately, the situation did not improve significantly. In six seasons in Denver, the Rockies made the NHL Playoffs only once, in the 1977-78 season. Even then, they finished with the sixth-worst record in the league, 21 games under .500. However, the Smythe DivisionSmythe Division
The NHL's Smythe Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honor of Conn Smythe. It is the fore-runner of the NHL's Northwest Division and NHL's Pacific Division....
was so weak that year that the team finished second behind the Chicago Black Hawks, the only team in the division with a .500 record. This allowed them to edge out the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
for the last playoff spot by two points (in those days, the division runners-up were guaranteed a playoff spot). The Rockies went down rather meekly in the first round, losing to the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in a two-game sweep. They would not make the playoffs again until 1988
1987-88 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring Leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay Goals, SHG = Shorthanded Goals, GWG = Game Winning Goals-Leading goaltenders:...
– their sixth year in New Jersey.
The Rockies did have some outstanding players for a short time. Barry Beck
Barry Beck
Barry Beck is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted second overall in both the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft from the New Westminster Bruins. Beck helped the Bruins to the Memorial Cup in 1977. He opted to move to the NHL over the WHA, and began...
set a record in his rookie year for goals by a rookie defenceman, and Lanny McDonald
Lanny McDonald
Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
was traded to the Rockies by Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. In addition, the team at various times had such players as Chico Resch
Chico Resch
Glenn Allan "Chico" Resch is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender and television sportscaster. Resch played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1973 to 1986, winning one Stanley Cup with the New York Islanders in 1980...
, Wilf Paiement
Wilf Paiement
Wilfred Paiement, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 through 1988, for six different NHL teams.-Playing career:...
, Rene Robert
Rene Robert
René Paul Robert is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played 12 seasons in the NHL between 1970 and 1982. Robert was selected to 2 National Hockey League All-Star Games and was selected as the Second NHL All-Star Team right wing in 1974–75.Robert played 744 career NHL games,...
, Rob Ramage
Rob Ramage
George Robert Ramage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers...
, Bobby Schmautz
Bobby Schmautz
Robert James Schmautz is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Schmautz started his National Hockey League career with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1968. Schmautz would also play for the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Rockies, and Edmonton Oilers.-External links:...
, Steve Tambellini
Steve Tambellini
Steven Anthony Tambellini is a former NHL player and is currently the general manager for the Edmonton Oilers hockey franchise in Edmonton, Alberta.-Playing career:...
and Brent Ashton
Brent Ashton
Brent Kenneth Ashton is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1993...
. But the team always had a lack of overall depth and traded such quality for quantity. Reported poor management did not help, either.
Under Don Cherry
One of the few bright spots in the franchise's history was during the 1979-80 season when the flamboyant Don Cherry, a former Jack Adams AwardJack Adams Award
The Jack Adams Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success." It has been awarded 37 times to 32 different coaches. The winner is selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association at the end of the...
winner, was named head coach after being fired by the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. Under Cherry, the Rockies adopted the motto "Come to the fights and watch a Rockies game break out!" This could be seen on billboards all over Denver in the 1979–80 season and rejuvenated the ailing club.
However, as he later admitted, Cherry's outspokenness and feuding with Rockies general manager Ray Miron
Ray Miron
Ray Miron is the former owner of the new Central Hockey League, founded in 1992 by Miron and William "Bill" Levins, as well as a former National Hockey League executive, serving in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and as General Manager of the Colorado Rockies . They founded the league under...
did not endear him to the front office. While Cherry did much to motivate the players, goaltending was still the team's weakness as Miron refused to replace Hardy Astrom
Hardy Åström
Hardy Åström is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender who played three seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers and Colorado Rockies....
, whom Cherry dubbed "The Swedish Sieve". Cherry recalled one game where his players had got ten shots on goal without scoring, but Astrom then conceded a goal from the opponent's first shot and so was yanked from net.
The Rockies finished with 51 points, and it was apparent that management would scapegoat Cherry for not making the playoffs. In their final game, which was held at home, Cherry's team defeated the Penguins 5–0. As it was already known that Cherry would not be back next season, he wore a cowboy hat and cowboy boots for what would be his last NHL game, and after the final buzzer sounded his players formed two lines for him, with sticks raised to form an arch to walk between while he acknowledged the cheers of the crowd.
Move to New Jersey
Although attendance in Denver was not bad, the team was plagued by instability. The Rockies had seven coaches in four years, none lasting more than one full season. Ownership changed hands twice in four years. Finally, in 1982, New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
shipping tycoon John McMullen
John McMullen (engineer)
John J. McMullen, Ph.D was a naval architect and marine engineer, and former owner of the New Jersey Devils and Houston Astros. He founded the engineering firm John J...
bought the team. He announced that he had "big plans" for the franchise, but they involved playing in the then-new Brendan Byrne Arena in the New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of...
. The Rockies had actually petitioned to move to New Jersey in 1978, but the NHL vetoed the move because the Byrne Arena was still under construction, and there was no suitable temporary facility in New Jersey at the time. The team was relocated for the 1982-83 season and renamed the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Legacy
The last active NHL player who had played for the Rockies was Joe CirellaJoe Cirella
Joseph Cirella is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in 828 games in the National Hockey League...
, who left the NHL in 1996, the year that the newly relocated NHL team, the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
won their first Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Championship. The Avalanche had played 23 seasons as the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
. Two other former Rockies, Paul Gagne and Rich Chernomaz, played until 1999 in the Swiss and German leagues, respectively.
The Colorado Avalanche and the New Jersey Devils met each other in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals
2001 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2001 Stanley Cup Finals was contested by the Eastern Conference champion and defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils and the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche, making the franchise's second Stanley Cup Finals appearance, and first since the team won the 1996 Finals. The...
, with the Avalanche winning the series and the championship in seven games; the deciding game was in Denver. By this time, former Rockies head coach Don Cherry was now with Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
. The Devils have been far more successful as a New Jersey team than before the move to New Jersey, having rivalries with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and to a lesser extent the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(all but the Flyers play in the same metro area as the Devils).
The song "Rock and Roll, Pt. 2
Rock and Roll (Gary Glitter song)
"Rock and Roll", also known as "The Hey Song", is a song performed by British glam rocker Gary Glitter that was released in 1972 as a single and on the album Glitter. Co-written by Glitter and Mike Leander, the song is in two parts: Part 1 is a vocal track reflecting on the history of the genre,...
" (AKA "the Hey Song") was first played in a sport setting at Rockies games in the late 1970s and was later played in most North American hockey games to celebrate home team scores for the better part of 25 years.
The NHL Colorado Rockies should not be confused with the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team of the same name
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
that began playing in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in 1993
1993 Colorado Rockies season
The Colorado Rockies' 1993 season was the first for the Rockies. They played in the National League West. Don Baylor was their manager. They played home games at Mile High Stadium...
.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1976–77 | 80 | 20 | 46 | 14 | 54 | 226 | 307 | 978 | 5th in Smythe Division Smythe Division The NHL's Smythe Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honor of Conn Smythe. It is the fore-runner of the NHL's Northwest Division and NHL's Pacific Division.... |
Out of playoffs |
| 1977–78 | 80 | 19 | 40 | 21 | 59 | 257 | 305 | 818 | 2nd in Smythe Division | Lost in preliminary round (PHI Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... ), 0-2 |
| 1978–79 | 80 | 15 | 53 | 12 | 42 | 210 | 331 | 838 | 4th in Smythe Division | Out of playoffs |
| 1979–80 | 80 | 19 | 48 | 13 | 51 | 234 | 308 | 1020 | 6th in Smythe Division | Out of playoffs |
| 1980–81 | 80 | 22 | 45 | 13 | 57 | 258 | 344 | 1418 | 4th in Smythe Division | Out of playoffs |
| 1981–82 | 80 | 18 | 49 | 13 | 49 | 241 | 362 | 1138 | 5th in Smythe Division | Out of playoffs |
| Totals | 480 | 113 | 281 | 86 | 312 | 1426 | 1957 | 6210 |
Team captains
- Simon NoletSimon NoletSimon Laurent Nolet is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played ten seasons in the National Hockey League , most notably for the Philadelphia Flyers...
1976–77 - Wilf PaiementWilf PaiementWilfred Paiement, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 through 1988, for six different NHL teams.-Playing career:...
1977–79 - Gary CroteauGary CroteauGary "Crow" Croteau is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward, most notably with the Colorado Rockies of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:After a dominant collegiate hockey career at St...
1979–80 - Mike ChristieMike Christie (ice hockey)Michael Hunt Christie is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 412 games in the National Hockey League for the California Seals, Cleveland Barons, Colorado Rockies, and Vancouver Canucks in 1974–1981...
1980 - Rene RobertRene RobertRené Paul Robert is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played 12 seasons in the NHL between 1970 and 1982. Robert was selected to 2 National Hockey League All-Star Games and was selected as the Second NHL All-Star Team right wing in 1974–75.Robert played 744 career NHL games,...
1980–81 - Lanny McDonaldLanny McDonaldLanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
1981 - Rob RamageRob RamageGeorge Robert Ramage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers...
1981–82
First round draft picks
Note: This list does not include selections as the Kansas City ScoutsKansas City Scouts
The Kansas City Scouts was a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1974–76. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies...
.
- 19761976 NHL Amateur DraftThe 1976 NHL Amateur Draft was held at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec on June 1, 1976. It is notable as featuring one of the weakest first rounds in draft history, as only two players played more than 450 career NHL games. In 2002, Federko was elected into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame after...
: Paul Gardner (11th overall) - 19771977 NHL Amateur DraftThe 1977 NHL Amateur Draft was held at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal, Quebec.-Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft.Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:...
: Barry BeckBarry BeckBarry Beck is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted second overall in both the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft from the New Westminster Bruins. Beck helped the Bruins to the Memorial Cup in 1977. He opted to move to the NHL over the WHA, and began...
(2nd overall) - 19781978 NHL Amateur DraftThe 1978 NHL Amateur Draft occurred at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec on June 15, 1978. It was the last draft to be called the "Amateur Draft" before the process was renamed to the NHL Entry Draft in 1979.-Selections by round:...
: Mike GillisMike GillisMichael David Gillis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.-Playing career:...
(5th overall) - 19791979 NHL Entry DraftThe 1979 NHL Entry Draft took place on August 9, 1979, at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 126 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1978–79 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those...
: Rob RamageRob RamageGeorge Robert Ramage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers...
(1st overall) - 19801980 NHL Entry DraftThe 1980 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum. This was the first time that an NHL arena hosted the draft. The National Hockey League teams selected 210 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1979–80 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the...
: Paul Gagne (19th overall) - 19811981 NHL Entry DraftThe 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
: Joe CirellaJoe CirellaJoseph Cirella is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in 828 games in the National Hockey League...
(5th overall)
Colorado Rockies individual records
- Most goals in a season: Wilf PaiementWilf PaiementWilfred Paiement, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 through 1988, for six different NHL teams.-Playing career:...
, 41 (1976–77) - Most assists in a season: Wilf PaiementWilf PaiementWilfred Paiement, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 through 1988, for six different NHL teams.-Playing career:...
, 56 (1977–78) - Most points in a season: Wilf PaiementWilf PaiementWilfred Paiement, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey right winger in the NHL from 1974 through 1988, for six different NHL teams.-Playing career:...
, 87 (1977–78) - Most penalty minutes in a season: Rob RamageRob RamageGeorge Robert Ramage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers...
, 201 (1981–82) - Most points in a season, defenceman: Barry BeckBarry BeckBarry Beck is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted second overall in both the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft from the New Westminster Bruins. Beck helped the Bruins to the Memorial Cup in 1977. He opted to move to the NHL over the WHA, and began...
, 60 (1977–78) - Most points in a season, rookie: Barry BeckBarry BeckBarry Beck is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted second overall in both the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft from the New Westminster Bruins. Beck helped the Bruins to the Memorial Cup in 1977. He opted to move to the NHL over the WHA, and began...
, 60 (1977–78) - Most wins in a season: Glenn Resch, 16 (1981–82)
See also
- List of Colorado Rockies players
- List of Colorado Rockies draft picks
- List of Colorado Rockies head coaches
- Kansas City ScoutsKansas City ScoutsThe Kansas City Scouts was a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1974–76. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies...
- New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
- List of NHL players
- List of NHL seasons