Editing Colorado Avalanche (section)

====Decline (2010–2017)====
In the 2010–11 season, the Avalanche saw their worst season yet since moving to Denver. They only had 68 points in the standings and had winless streaks after the All-Star break.<ref name="los">{{cite web |title=2010–11 Colorado Avalanche Roster and Statistics |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/COL/2011.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=December 24, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2010–11 Colorado Avalanche Schedule and Results |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/COL/2011_games.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=December 24, 2018}}</ref> They finished 29th in the 30-team NHL, besting only their division mates, the Edmonton Oilers.<ref name="los" /> [[Matt Duchene]] set a franchise record as the youngest scoring leader in Quebec/Colorado history with 67 points, sharing the club goals-leader title with [[David Jones (ice hockey)|David Jones]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Duchene's curious contract with Colorado |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/puck-daddy/matt-duchene-curious-contract-colorado-154559198--nhl.html |website=sports.yahoo.com |date=June 23, 2012 |access-date=December 24, 2018}}</ref> Former Avalanche player Peter Forsberg attempted a comeback in the NHL with Colorado mid-season. However, after two games, no points and compiling a [[Plus–minus (sports)|plus-minus]] rating of −4, Forsberg announced his retirement from professional hockey.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forsberg halts comeback, retires from hockey |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=6121071 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=December 24, 2018 |date=February 14, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Forsberg Stats |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/f/forsbpe01.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=December 24, 2018}}</ref> Captain Adam Foote also retired after the final game of the season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Avalanche captain Adam Foote shares his thoughts on retirement |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2011/04/08/avalanche-captain-adam-foote-shares-his-thoughts-on-retirement/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=December 24, 2018 |date=April 8, 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Gabriel Landeskog in 2012 cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Gabriel Landeskog]] during his rookie season. Landeskog was selected second overall in the [[2011 NHL entry draft]].]]
In the off-season, Colorado had two first-round picks. Present at the draft, former Avalanche great Joe Sakic served his first duties as new alternate governor and adviser of hockey operations of the club. With their first pick, second overall, they selected [[Gabriel Landeskog]], the young captain of the [[Ontario Hockey League]]'s [[Kitchener Rangers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Avalanche Selects Landeskog in First Round |url=https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-selects-landeskog-in-first-round/c-567088 |website=NHL.com |access-date=August 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Colorado Avalanche Draft History at hockeydb.com |url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00005307.html |website=www.hockeydb.com |access-date=August 31, 2019}}</ref> Second, they selected defenseman [[Duncan Siemens]] 11th overall, a pick acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the controversial trade that sent power-forward [[Chris Stewart (ice hockey, born 1987)|Chris Stewart]], long time top prospect [[Kevin Shattenkirk]] and a second-round pick to the Blues in exchange for their first-round pick, veteran [[Jay McClement]] and [[2006 NHL entry draft|2006]] former first overall pick, [[Erik Johnson]]. A complete overhaul at the goal-tending position sent Peter Budaj to the Montreal Canadiens and [[Brian Elliott]] to St. Louis, Elliott having been acquired from the [[Ottawa Senators]] for [[Craig Anderson (ice hockey)|Craig Anderson]] during the team's downward spiral the season previous. Goaltender [[Semyon Varlamov]] was dealt to Colorado from the [[Washington Capitals]] in exchange for a first and second pick, while veteran netminder and former Conn Smythe Trophy winner [[Jean-Sébastien Giguère]] was signed as a free agent in hopes to mentor the young Varlamov. Duncan Siemens was sent back to his major junior team, the [[Saskatoon Blades]] in camp, while [[Gabriel Landeskog]] made the opening night roster against the Red Wings on October 8, 2011, at Pepsi Center. Adam Deadmarsh was promoted from video/developmental coach to offensive assistant coach after [[Steve Konowalchuk]] accepted a job as head coach in the minor league.

Peter Forsberg's number 21 became the fourth jersey number retired by the Avalanche on opening night, a contest Colorado would lose to Detroit 3–0. Colorado redeemed themselves in game two of the season on October 10, 2011, against the [[2011 Stanley Cup playoffs|2011 Stanley Cup]] champion [[Boston Bruins]]. Varlamov negated all 30 shots registered by Boston and posted the fifth shutout of his career and first win as an Avalanche in the regular season. Milan Hejduk scored the game-winning goal and first goal of the season for the club in a 1–0 victory over the defending champions. In April 2012, the Avalanche were eliminated from playoff contention and finished 11th place in the Western Conference. Despite a 20-point improvement from last season's efforts, the team failed to reach the playoffs for the second-straight year, the first time the club history since their move to Denver.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=400047788|title=Scores for the 2012 season pre playoffs|publisher=ESPN}}</ref> Head coach Joe Sacco signed a two-year contract extension shortly after the end of the season. Stand out rookie Gabriel Landeskog overtook Matt Duchene as the youngest in franchise history to lead the team in goals, scoring 22 in 82 games.

Having resigned most of their free agents, the club wouldn't see much change in the 2012 off-season, with the exception of losing unrestricted free agents [[Peter Mueller (ice hockey)|Peter Mueller]], Jay McClement and [[Kevin Porter (ice hockey)|Kevin Porter]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Mueller not given qualifying offer by Avalanche |url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2012/06/25/peter-mueller-qualifying-offer/10891/ |website=All Things Avalanche |access-date=August 31, 2019}}</ref> Colorado would add [[Greg Zanon]], [[John Mitchell (ice hockey, born 1985)|John Mitchell]] and high scoring winger [[P. A. Parenteau]] to its roster.<ref>{{cite web |title=Avalanche sign P.A. Parenteau to $16&nbsp;million deal; add John Mitchell |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2012/07/01/avalanche-sign-p-a-parenteau-to-16-million-deal-add-john-mitchell/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=August 31, 2019 |date=July 1, 2012}}</ref> Gabriel Landeskog, the Avalanche's lone representative at the 2012 NHL Awards, won the Calder Memorial Trophy, joining Chris Drury, Peter Forsberg and Peter Stastny for earning top rookie honors for the Avalanche.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gabriel Landeskog wins Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2012/06/20/gabriel-landeskog-wins-calder-trophy-as-nhl-rookie-of-the-year-2/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=August 31, 2019 |date=June 20, 2012}}</ref>

On September 4, 2012, Gabriel Landeskog was named the fourth captain of the Avalanche. [[Milan Hejduk]] relinquished the captaincy a week earlier.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gabriel Landeskog succeeds Milan Hejduk as Colorado Avalanche captain |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2012/09/04/gabriel-landeskog-succeeds-milan-hejduk-as-colorado-avalanche-captain/ |newspaper=Denver Post |access-date=June 20, 2019 |date=September 4, 2012}}</ref> At 19 years and 286 days old, Landeskog became the youngest captain in NHL history at that time, being 11 days younger than when [[Sidney Crosby]] was named captain of the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] at 19 years and 297 days.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gabriel Landeskog OK losing his place in history |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/gabriel-landeskog-ok-with-no-longer-being-youngest-captain-in-history/c-282505950 |website=NHL.com |access-date=June 20, 2019}}</ref>

After a disappointing [[2012–13 NHL season|2012–13 season]] which saw the Colorado Avalanche finish 15th in the Conference and 29th overall in the League, it was announced on April 28, 2013, that head coach Joe Sacco had been relieved of his duties.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_23126661/joe-sacco-fired-coach-colorado-avalanche |work=The Denver Post |first=Adrian |last=Dater |title=Joe Sacco fired as coach of Colorado Avalanche after four NHL seasons |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429054706/http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_23126661/joe-sacco-fired-coach-colorado-avalanche |archive-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> On May 10, it was announced that former long-time Avalanche captain and Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Sakic would be named Executive Vice President of hockey operations, overseeing all matters involving hockey personnel. It was also announced that Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan Kroenke, was named President of the Avalanche, succeeding Pierre Lacroix.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=670167&navid=nhl:topheads|title=Sakic will have final say in new Avalanche role|publisher=National Hockey League}}</ref> On May 23, Patrick Roy returned to the Avalanche as head coach and Vice President of hockey operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thescore.com/home/articles/895928-avs-name-patrick-roy-new-head-coach|title=theScore|website=thescore.com|access-date=December 9, 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615203657/http://www.thescore.com/home/articles/895928-avs-name-patrick-roy-new-head-coach|archive-date=June 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although Sherman retained his role as general manager, he was largely reduced to an advisory role. Roy and Sakic shared most of the duties held by a general manager on most other NHL teams, though Sakic had the final say on hockey matters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/joe-sakic-named-avs-gm--sad-ballad-of-greg-sherman-continues-161203387.html|title=Joe Sakic named Avs GM, sad ballad of Greg Sherman continues|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|author=Wyshynski, Greg|date=September 20, 2014|accessdate=October 6, 2014}}</ref> The Avalanche held the top overall pick in the [[2013 NHL entry draft|2013 NHL draft]], which they used to draft [[Nathan MacKinnon|Nathan Mackinnon]], who had previously played against the team that Patrick Roy had coached in the [[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League|QMJHL]].

Under Roy, in [[2013–14 NHL season|2013–14]], the Avalanche returned to the playoffs, finishing first in the Central Division and second in the Western Conference, but would lose a seven-game series to the [[Minnesota Wild]] in the [[2014 Stanley Cup playoffs|first round]]. Nonetheless, for his outstanding job as a first-year coach, Roy won the [[Jack Adams Award]] for the NHL's top coaching honors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/avalanches-roy-wins-jack-adams-award/c-723700|title=Avalanche's Roy wins Jack Adams Award|author=Roarke, Shawn |accessdate=October 5, 2022|date=June 25, 2014|publisher=NHL.com}}</ref>

Just prior to the start of the [[2014–15 NHL season|2014–15 season]], Sakic was given the title of general manager while Sherman was demoted to assistant GM, formalizing the ''[[de facto]]'' arrangement that had been in place since 2013.<ref>Dater, Adrian. [http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2014/09/19/joe-sakic-now-full-gm-title-avalanche-greg-sherman-assistant-gm/19401/ Joe Sakic now has full GM title with Avalanche; Greg Sherman assistant GM] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707015340/http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2014/09/19/joe-sakic-now-full-gm-title-avalanche-greg-sherman-assistant-gm/19401/ |date=July 7, 2015}}. ''[[The Denver Post]]'', September 19, 2014.</ref> Despite the front office changes, the Avalanche failed to qualify for the [[2015 Stanley Cup playoffs|2015 playoffs]] after finishing with a record of 39–31–12, resulting in a seventh-place finish in the Central Division.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/roy-determined-to-get-avalanche-back-in-playoffs/c-776598|title=Roy determined to get Avalanche back in playoffs|accessdate=October 5, 2022|author=Sadowski, Rick|date=August 10, 2015|publisher=NHL.com}}</ref>

After failing to qualify for the playoffs again following the [[2015–16 NHL season|2015–16 season]], Roy resigned his posts on August 11, 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/patrick-roy-parts-ways-avalanche-organization/ |title=Patrick Roy parts ways with Avalanche organization |work=[[Sportsnet]] |date=August 11, 2016}}</ref>

Following the departure of Roy, the Avalanche hired [[Jared Bednar]] from the [[Calder Cup]] champions, the [[Lake Erie Monsters]] of the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL), as head coach.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sadowski|first1=Rick|title=Jared Bednar hired as Avalanche coach|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/jared-bednar-hired-as-colorado-coach/c-281418488|publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref> Bednar walked into a difficult situation. He was hired just a month before the opening of training camp, and thus had nowhere near enough time to install his own system. He was also unable to bring his own staff, having to make do with holdovers from Roy's staff. On December 10, 2016, the Avalanche allowed ten goals in a 10–1 loss to the Canadiens. The Avalanche closed out their season with a record of 22–56–4 and 48 points, the worst record in the league and the franchise's worst since moving to Denver (only the 1989–90 and 1990–91 Nordiques finished with fewer points). It was also the worst record of any team in the NHL since the [[Atlanta Thrashers]] finished with a record of 14–61–7 and 39 points in the 1999–2000 season (which was their first season in the league)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/06/colorado-avalanche-2017-season-in-review/|title=Avalanche 2016–17 Season in Review: Colorado sinks to new low – The Denver Post|access-date=April 26, 2017|date=April 7, 2017}}</ref> and one of the worst for a non-expansion team since 1967. During the [[2017 NHL entry draft|2017 NHL draft]], Colorado held the fourth overall pick, which they used to draft defenseman [[Cale Makar]].