The Avalanche came into existence in 1995. The franchise was originally known as the Quebec Nordiques from its inception in 1972. COMSAT Entertainment Group scooped the team up for $103 million and relocated the club to Colorado. It didn’t take long for the squad to find success in its new locale. After years of poor performance and high draft picks, the Nordiques were actually loaded with talent at the time of the move. That resulted in a Stanley Cup championship for the Avalanche in the 1995-96 season.