Colorado Rockies (NHL) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colorado Rockies
Founded	1974
History	Kansas City Scouts 1974–1976 Colorado Rockies 1976–1982 New Jersey Devils 1982–present
Home arena	McNichols Sports Arena
City	Denver, Colorado
Colors	Blue, red, gold, white
Stanley Cups	0
Conference championships	0
Division championships	0

The Colorado Rockies were a professional ice hockey team. They played in the National Hockey League (NHL) in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. The team first started as the Kansas City Scouts in 1974. They were an expansion team, meaning they were a new team joining the league.

The Scouts moved from Kansas City, Missouri, to Denver in 1976. This is when they became the Colorado Rockies. In 1982, the team moved again. This time, they went to East Rutherford, New Jersey. There, they were renamed the New Jersey Devils. Denver did not have an NHL team again until 1995. That's when the Quebec Nordiques moved to the city. They became the Colorado Avalanche. The name "Colorado Rockies" was later used for a Major League Baseball team that started in 1993.

Team History: From Scouts to Rockies

The story of the Colorado Rockies began with the Kansas City Scouts. This team joined the NHL in 1974. They were one of two new teams that year. The Scouts faced many challenges. They struggled to win games. They also had money problems. The team's owners were facing a lot of debt. They decided to sell the team.

In 1976, a group from Denver bought the Scouts. This group was led by Jack Vickers. They moved the team to Denver. The team was then renamed the Colorado Rockies. They played their games at McNichols Sports Arena. The Rockies joined the Smythe Division in the NHL's Campbell Conference.

Tough Times for the Rockies

Even with the move, the team's struggles continued. In their six seasons in Denver, the Rockies only made the Stanley Cup Playoffs once. This was in the 1977–78 season. They finished with a poor record that year. However, their division was weak. This allowed them to make the playoffs.

In the playoffs, they played against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rockies lost both games and were eliminated quickly. They never came close to making the playoffs again. The team also had many changes. They had seven different coaches in four years. Ownership also changed twice.

Despite the challenges, the Rockies had some talented players. These included Barry Beck, who set a record for rookie defensemen. Lanny McDonald was another star player. Other notable players were Chico Resch, Wilf Paiement, and Rob Ramage.

Don Cherry's Time as Coach

One memorable part of the Rockies' history was the 1979–80 season. This is when Don Cherry became the head coach. Cherry was a very famous and colorful coach. He had won an award for best coach before.

Under Cherry, the team became known for its tough style of play. Their motto was "Come to the fights and watch a Rockies game break out!" This was even on billboards in Denver. Cherry was good at motivating his players. However, he often disagreed with the team's general manager. This included arguments about the team's goaltending.

The Rockies finished the season tied for the worst record in the league. In their final home game, they won 5–0. It was known that Cherry would not return as coach. He wore a cowboy hat and boots for his last NHL game. After the game, his players honored him. They formed an arch with their sticks as he left the ice.

The Move to New Jersey

The Rockies' owner, Jack Vickers, faced financial problems. His oil business was struggling. This made it hard to pay for the team's arena lease. In 1978, Vickers sold the team to Arthur Imperatore Sr.. Imperatore planned to move the team to a new arena in New Jersey. This new arena was being built.

Many fans in Denver were upset by this plan. Before he could move the team, Imperatore sold it again. In 1981, Peter Gilbert, a cable TV owner, bought the team. He promised to keep the team in Denver. The NHL also seemed to want the team to stay.

But in 1982, the team was sold one last time. John McMullen, a shipping owner, bought the Rockies. He announced that he would move the team to New Jersey. The team officially moved for the 1982–83 season. They were renamed the New Jersey Devils.

The Rockies' Lasting Impact

The Colorado Rockies may have left Denver, but their legacy lives on. The last NHL player who played for the Rockies was Joe Cirella. He retired from the NHL in 1996.

In 1995, the NHL returned to Denver. The Quebec Nordiques moved to the city. They became the Colorado Avalanche. This meant Denver had an NHL team again after 13 years.

A special moment happened in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals. The Colorado Avalanche played against the New Jersey Devils. These two teams had both called Colorado home at different times. The Avalanche won the series in seven games.

The Rockies were also the first team to use the song "Rock and Roll, Part 2" at a sporting event. They played it after every goal they scored. Other sports teams started doing this too. However, because of the artist's actions, many teams later decided not to use the song anymore.

The Rockies' original logo was a mountain peak. It had the shape of the flag of Colorado inside it. This logo later inspired the Avalanche's secondary logo. This shows how the Rockies' history is still part of Colorado hockey today. In the 2022–23 season, both the Avalanche and the Devils wore special "Reverse Retro" uniforms. These uniforms featured the Rockies' team colors of red, gold, and blue.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties minutes

Team Captains

• Simon Nolet 1976–77
• Wilf Paiement 1977–79
• Gary Croteau 1979–80
• Mike Christie 1980
• Rene Robert 1980–81
• Lanny McDonald 1981
• Rob Ramage 1981–82

First Round Draft Picks

• 1976: Paul Gardner (11th overall)
• 1977: Barry Beck (2nd overall)
• 1978: Mike Gillis (5th overall)
• 1979: Rob Ramage (1st overall)
• 1980: Paul Gagne (19th overall)
• 1981: Joe Cirella (5th overall)

Hall of Famers

• Lanny McDonald, RW, 1979–1981

Colorado Rockies Individual Records

• Most goals in a season: Wilf Paiement, 41 (1976–77)
• Most assists in a season: Wilf Paiement, 56 (1977–78)
• Most points in a season: Wilf Paiement, 87 (1977–78)
• Most penalty minutes in a season: Rob Ramage, 201 (1981–82)
• Most points in a season, defenceman: Barry Beck, 60 (1977–78)
• Most points in a season, rookie: Barry Beck, 60 (1977–78)
• Most wins in a season: Chico Resch, 16 (1981–82)

Images for kids

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  The Colorado Rockies team logo.