![]() ![]() ![]() Jon Gray and Trevor Story were not dealt at the 2021 deadline and walked away from the team for nothing and a compensatory draft pick respectively. The Rockies return for Nolan Arenado has been criticized and has yet to bear fruit. Byram was a key contributor in the Stanley Cup run and is only 21 years old. That first round pick ended up turning into a fourth overall, which the Avalanche used to select Bowen Byram. The Avalanche netted several picks and players when Matt Duchene was dealt to the Ottawa Senators, including a conditional first-round pick and a very spinny boy in Samuel Girard. The Avalanche front office has also excelled at making smart draft picks and smarter trades. Rather, he should allow the baseball people to do the baseball things, and keep himself out of daily operations. The message that Monfort should take away from Kroenke’s victorious Avalanche is not that he shouldn’t be emotionally invested in his own team. The same cannot be said of Monfort, who is deeply meddlesome in the daily baseball operations of his club. The detached Kroenke and the invested Bowlen both kept themselves out of daily operations and let the hockey and football people do the hockey and football things. However, there is a key difference between Monfort and Kroenke, and even Monfort and Bowlen. ![]() The late Pat Bowlen clearly cared deeply for his own team. It’s also not something we haven’t seen before in Colorado professional sports. On the contrary, I think it’s something other owners in professional sports should strive for. It’s not a bad thing that Monfort is emotionally invested in his own team. While some argue that Monfort doesn’t care about the Rockies outside of making money, I think it’s pretty obvious the opposite is true. He’s well known for his purple shoes and shirts, and you will frequently find him at Coors Field for home games. Monfort, on the other hand, is a die-hard for his own team. For example, Kroenke was at game six of the Stanley Cup Finals when the Avalanche finally sealed their victory. They are an investment and you are extremely unlikely to see him at a game unless it’s important. Kroenke arguably does not much care about the Avalanche. The Rockies have floundered in four straight seasons with things looking grim for the fifth.Īvalanche owner Stan Kroenke and Rockies owner Dick Monfort are opposites when it comes to the ownership of their respective franchises. The Avalanche have been good again for several years and their efforts culminated in an exciting championship run. Some differences make the team polar opposites, some are more like the Rockies with their sliders adjusted, and some aren’t even necessarily good! However, it’s the results that matter in the long run. What’s important though is where the Rockies and Avalanche differ. A hockey and team lifer was appointed general manager and we weren’t quite sure if things would work out after a bumpy first few seasons. An agitated, homegrown superstar demanded out in center Matt Duchene. From 2009 to 2017 they made just two playoff appearances, both of which were quick exits. Their 2016-2017 season saw them finish as literally the worst team in the NHL with just 48 points. The Avalanche have been a bad team before, much like the Rockies. There are parallels between recent Avalanche and Rockies history. While the Avalanche celebrate in an arena packed with ravenous fans, the Rockies are experiencing growing fan apathy due to the team’s poor performance and a failure to deliver on the victory Dick Monfort often promises. Since 2007 they have made three playoff appearances. Meanwhile, the Rockies have made just one appearance in the World Series and it was fifteen years ago. While there was a 21 year gap between their second and third cup victories, time and victory heal all wounds. Three more rings on their players’ fingers. In that time they have lifted Lord Stanley’s cup three times. The Avalanche have existed for three fewer seasons than the Rockies after being relocated from Quebec City following the 1994-1995 season. The Avalanche are what the Rockies should aspire to be for a Colorado sports team. ![]()
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