Sad news: Former Avalanche president and general manager Pierre Lacroix passed away on Sunday.
Lacroix, who built the team’s Stanley Cup championship teams of 1996 and 2001, was 72.
Avalanche statement on the passing of Pierre Lacroixhttps://t.co/pFpkKhJAjQ
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 13, 2020
Lacroix could seem gruff at times and he wasn’t one to hob-nob with his fellow NHL executives, but he was a kind and decent man, and I always enjoyed our conversations.
After the Avalanche won the Cup in 1996 and had a parade in downtown Denver, they invited members of the media and their families to view the silver chalice and pose for pictures with it at the ChopHouse, a downtown restaurant across from Coors Field that was frequented by players.
I was writing for the Rocky Mountain News at the time, and naturally took a number of photos with my wife and two young daughters.
Pierre, who could be a real sweetheart, suggested that we place Samantha, who had just turned two, inside the bowl of the Cup for a picture.
Concerned that we would somehow knock it over and cause some damage, we politely declined. Looking back, I wish we had taken him up on his offer, though we did get plenty of nice photos to frame.
Here’s a statement from Avalanche owner Stan Kroenke:
“Pierre was truly a legend and one of the greatest executives in sports. He had a ‘team first’ mentality that valued players and staff equally and his winning attitude was immediately evident to our family when we acquired the Avalanche in 2000.
“Denver is considered one of the world’s towering sports cities and that would be impossible without Pierre’s many contributions, including leading the Avs to Colorado’s first major professional championship with the 1996 Stanley Cup title.
“Pierre had a unique zest for life that uplifted anyone who knew him. He treated everyone like they were a part of his family and was always available to anyone who needed his guidance. We will miss him greatly. On behalf of my family, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and the Avalanche organization, we extend our sincerest condolences to (wife) Coco, (sons) Martin and Eric, and Pierre’s three grandchildren.…
From general manager Joe Sakic:
“It is a sad day for the Avalanche organization and its fans. Pierre was a visionary and a true leader. From the moment he took over as GM, he established a winning culture that spread throughout the organization.
“As players, we knew he would do everything he could to help the team achieve that goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup. Pierre was instrumental in not only building the Avalanche into a championship team but also in the growth of hockey in Colorado. His footprint is everywhere in this hockey community.
“Pierre is someone I trusted very much right from the first time I met him. I’ll always remember him as not only a great GM but an even better person. He always treated everyone like family and he wanted us players to have that same mentality. He was a great example to all of us.
“Pierre was a mentor to me and someone I learned a lot about the business of hockey from. We as an organization and myself personally, will really miss him. On behalf of the Avalanche organization, we are sending our thoughts to Coco, Martin, Eric and the entire Lacroix family.…
The fact that he isn’t in the Hockey Hall of Fame in the “building… category is preposterous to me.
Lacroix was a successful player agent before relinquishing that role when he was named general manager of the Quebec Nordiques in May 1994. He remained GM when the franchise was moved to Colorado and renamed the Avalanche before the 1995-96 season.
The team was loaded with future Hall of Famers Sakic and Peter Forsberg, along with Adam Foote, Adam Deadmarsh, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, Scott Young, Valeri Kamensky and Uwe Krupp.
Lacroix turned an excellent team into a powerhouse with the acquisitions of Patrick Roy and Mike Keane from the Montreal Canadiens -– a steal of a deal in December 1995 -- Claude Lemieux from the New Jersey Devils and Sandis Ozolinsh from the San Jose Sharks. After a nasty Western Conference final against the Detroit Red Wings, the Avalanche went on to capture the Cup in a four-game sweep of the Florida Panthers, with Krupp scoring in the third overtime for a 1-0 win in the decisive Game 4 in steamy Miami Arena.
Lacroix’s acquisitions of two Hall of Famers -- Ray Bourque from the Boston Bruins in March 2000 and Rob Blake from the Los Angeles Kings in February 2001 -- helped catapult the Avalanche to their second championship in 2001 with a Game 7 win against the Devils at the Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena).
"Pierre Lacroix's eye for talent, appreciation for elite-level athletes and fearlessness in pulling off the big trade made him one of the most successful team builders in recent NHL history," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
"Fiercely competitive and personally engaging, he was highly regarded by his fellow General Managers and his voice was respected throughout the League … (he) established the Colorado Avalanche as a model franchise while re-establishing the NHL in Denver.
“The National Hockey League mourns his passing and sends our condolences to his wife, Colombe, their sons, Martin and Eric, and the entire Lacroix family."
Aside from engineering two Stanley Cup championships, Lacroix helped put together nine consecutive division titles, the first with Quebec and eight with Colorado.
Rest in peace, Pierre Lacroix.