Québec Nordiques

The Québec Nordiques (translated into English as "Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Québec City, Québec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972-1979) and the National Hockey League (1979-1995). The franchise was relocated to Denver in 1995 and renamed the Colorado Avalanche.

The Move to Denver

For the 1994-95 season Marc Crawford was hired as the new head coach and Forsberg was deemed ready to finally join the team, but first there was the problem of a lockout. When the shortened season began, the Nordiques played well and finished on top of the Eastern Conference. Even so, the team faltered in the postseason and were eliminated in the first round by the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers.

Related Topics:
1994-95 - Marc Crawford - Lockout - Stanley Cup - New York Rangers

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The playoff loss proved to be Québec's swan song in the NHL as the team's financial troubles increasingly took center stage. Team owner Marcel Aubut asked for a bailout from Québec's provincial government. The bailout fell through and in May 1995, shortly after the Nordiques were eliminated from the playoffs, Aubut was forced to sell the team to a group of investors in Denver, Colorado, as that summer, the franchise moved to Colorado and renamed the Colorado Avalanche. Ironically, the team was planning to change their logo, colors and uniforms in the 1995-96 Season before the bailout fell through. Although some resented the move and wondered what might have been, many fans in Québec still felt the team was still theirs and cheered the Avalanche to Stanley Cup success in their first season in Denver.

Related Topics:
Marcel Aubut - Québec - Denver, Colorado - Colorado Avalanche - Stanley Cup

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~