The Colorado Avalanche’s championship-winning 2021-22 season is now forever immortalized. Friday, the team showed off its engraving on the Stanley Cup. Not only does the Cup now sport Darcy Kuemper’s name, but it also features several former Capitals players.
Most notably, 2018 Stanley Cup champion, Andre Burakovsky, got his name on the Cup for a second time.
“AT LAST!” the Avalanche wrote on Twitter.
Burakovsky played in 12 playoff games in Colorado’s run to the title, tallying eight points (3g, 5a). The 27-year-old winger spent three seasons with the Avalanche after being traded there by the Capitals at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. He and Darren Helm were the lone players who had already been etched on Lord Stanley previously to be etched on again.
Burky signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Seattle Kraken in mid-July. Last week, when the Kraken were in Denver, he received his championship ring from Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog.
We like shiny things, but we LOVE our family even more.
Soak in the moment, @andreburakovsky and thank you for everything ❤️💙 #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/phWnQbEBs2
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 21, 2022
Former Capitals Brian Willsie and Craig Billington were also a part of the Avalanche’s championship team that was engraved onto the Cup.
Willsie, now part of Colorado’s player development staff, was Alex Ovechkin’s first-ever road roommate in the NHL and spent parts of three seasons for the Caps. He had his career-best season with the Caps during Ovi’s rookie 2005-06 season, tallying 41 points (19g, 22a).
Among names on #StanleyCup for #GoAvsGo: Alex Ovechkin’s first NHL roommate and #ALLCAPS alum Brian Willsie
Ovi has referenced @bwils18 as important teammate from rookie yr. Helped w his English & played tour guide on road
Willsie has spent past 7+ yrs w #Avs Player Development pic.twitter.com/Y2wIrulQcM
— Ben Raby (@BenRaby31) October 28, 2022
Billington serves as an assistant general manager for the Avalanche and the general manager of the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. He finished his NHL career with the Caps as Olie Kolzig’s backup from 1999 to 2003, playing 47 games total.
Current Capitals netminder Darcy Kuemper helped lead the Avalanche to the Cup after winning 10 of 16 playoff games he appeared in. Kuemper posted a 2.57 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage, and one shutout. The 32-year-old netminder played just one full season in Colorado before moving onto DC when he signed a five-year deal with Washington in unrestricted free agency.
Darcy Kuemper and his dog, Rogue, with the Stanley Cup pic.twitter.com/5xjQvXQETW
— Hockey Players With Animals (And Other Chaos) (@animalsofhockey) August 6, 2022
The Avs’ 2022 championship was the third in team history and its first since 2001.
Congrats to you all!
Headline photo: Cara Bahniuk/RMNB
