On the surface, it seems that Colorado hockey fans have had things pretty good. After all, the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in its first year there and has been among the NHL elite ever since.

But there have been lean times as well around the Mile-High area. In fact, when the NHL first appeared in the snow-capped region in 1976, the team that played there was one of the worst ever assembled.

The Colorado Rockies originally joined the NHL in 1974 as the Kansas City Scouts, but after two ill-fated seasons, relocated west. The Rockies weren't a talented bunch, and even the brief but colorful coaching tenure Don Cherry had there couldn't entice fans to support a team that won less than one of every four games it played.

After six seasons of big losses both on the ice and off, the owners of the franchise gave up and on May 27, 1982, sold the team to a group headed by Dr. John McMullen. The franchise relocated to New Jersey and was renamed the Devils, embarking on a new road that would make it one of the league powerhouses in the 1990s.

Colorado hockey fans could have been riled when they saw their former team become Stanley Cup champions for the first time in 1995, but any ill-will they may have harbored was tempered on May 25 that year, when the NHL announced that the Quebec Nordiques had been sold to a company that would be moving them to Denver.

One year later, the Stanley Cup was being paraded around in Colorado by the Avalanche, which is why the week of May 22-28 is one of the most memorable for hockey fans there, and in New Jersey.

May 22
The late Seymour Knox was instrumental in bringing the NHL to Buffalo.(Provided to SportsLine)	After a 45-year absence, the highest level of professional hockey made its return to Vancouver on this date in 1970 when the city joined Buffalo as one of two new NHL expansion franchises. The Canucks and the Sabres were part of the second-wave of NHL expansion, a period which would see the league triple from six to 18 teams in a seven-year period.

May 23

Mario Lemieux scored 44 points in 23 playoff games in 1991.(Allsport)

The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Mario Lemieux in 1984 with the hope he would lead them to the Stanley Cup. It took seven seasons, but 'Mario the Magnificent' did just in 1991. On this date that year, Lemieux scored a goal and two assists in the first period of a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota North Stars in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. Two days later, the Penguins won the title and Lemieux was named the Conn Smythe winner as playoff MVP.

May 24
Patrick Roy won the Conn Smythe in his rookie season.(Allsport)	The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most legendary franchises in all of sport, a reputation they cemented on this date in 1986 by winning the Stanley Cup in a series against the Calgary Flames. The championship was No. 23 for the Canadiens, one more than the New York Yankees had at the time.

May 25
Mike Vernon has won Stanley Cups with two teams.(Allsport)	Three years after losing a Stanley Cup Final to Montreal, the Calgary Flames exacted some revenge on this date in 1989. The Flames beat the Habs 4-2 in Game 6 to clinch the series by the same score and claim their first NHL title. Goaltender Mike Vernon posted his record-tying 16th victory in the contest, and defenseman Al MacInnis walked away with the Conn Smythe Trophy.

May 26

Wayne Gretzky hoists his final Stanley Cup in 1988.(Allsport)

Oilers fans didn't realize it at the time, but they were watching the end of an era on this date in 1988. Wayne Gretzky scored a hat trick that helped Edmonton beat Boston 6-3 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The victory completed a sweep of the series by the Oilers, but it was more memorable because it was the last game Gretzky played in an Edmonton uniform. The 'Great One' was traded that summer to the Los Angeles Kings.

May 27

Paul Coffey adds a special offensive dimension.(Allsport)

Many people consider Paul Coffey to be the greatest offensive defenseman to ever play the game, so it was fitting that he reached a milestone a few years ago that helped solidify that reputation. On this date in 1995 while playing for Detroit, Coffey became the all-time leading scorer for defensemen in Stanley Cup playoff history, recording two points in a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of their Conference Semifinal. That gave him 165 post-season points, one more than former Islanders Denis Potvin.

May 28
Peter Bondra scored many big goals for the Caps in 1998.(Allsport)	The Capitals weren't expected to go very far in the 1998 playoffs, but made it to the Finals thanks to some inspired play when it counted. They demonstrated as much on this date that year when Peter Bondra scored at 9:37 of OT to give his team its second consecutive post-regulation time win. Washington went on to win the series in six games against Buffalo before losing in the Finals to Detroit.