The 2016–17 Colorado Avalanche season was the 22nd operational season and 21st playing season since the franchise relocated from Quebec prior to the start of the 1995–96 NHL season.[1] As well as the franchise's 38th season in the National Hockey League and 45th season overall. Colorado finished with the worst record in the NHL and did not make the playoffs for the third consecutive year. They finished the season with their fewest points since moving to Denver in 1995, and their fewest since 1990–91, which was also the last time the franchise finished in last place overall. The Avalanche's 22 wins were easily the fewest in the Colorado portion of franchise history, and their fewest since 1991–92. The Avalanche's 48 points are the lowest for any team playing an 82-game season where they can earn one point for losing in overtime or a shootout.
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Avalanche. Stats reflect time with the Avalanche only.
‡Traded mid-season
Bold/italics denotes franchise record
Transactions[]
The Colorado Avalanche were involved in the following transactions during the 2016–17 NHL season.
[a] The Colorado Avalanche's second-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015 that sent Buffalo's second-round pick in 2015 to San Jose in exchange for a second-round pick in 2015, Colorado's sixth-round pick in 2017 and this pick.[41]
San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 1, 2014 that sent Brad Stuart to Colorado in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2017 and this pick.[42]
The Colorado Avalanche's fourth-round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on February 21, 2016 that sent Shawn Matthias to Colorado in exchange for Colin Smith and this pick.[43]