Traditionally, colder markets – think the northeastern United States and Canada – have been havens for NHL talent. In recent years, however, there has been serious growth of the game in the state of Colorado.
Part of that has to do with the success of the Colorado Avalanche, one of the best Colorado sports teams, who have won three Stanley Cups since coming to Denver in 1995. With a plethora of legendary and superstar talent – Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Rob Blake, Ray Bourque, Milan Hejduk, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, etc. – fans have come up with extremely talented Avalanche teams.
Furthermore, hockey is one of the most popular sports in Colorado. Which leads to the question, “Who are the best players to come from the Mile High state?” The list of players from Colorado is not as deep as you would think, sporting just 19 names. But there are a couple of names that current and recent NHL fans will most certainly know.
You can find Colorado Avalanche sportsbook promos and bonuses here.
Jaccob Slavin (2015-current)
Slavin, the 4th round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft out of Denver, has quietly become one of the best defensive defensemen in the league. He quickly became an impact player for the Carolina Hurricanes as a 21-year-old, logging more than 20 minutes per night during his first season.
Those TOI numbers have only continued to grow. Currently 28 years old, Slavin is coming off his eighth season in the NHL, all with the Hurricanes. He has consistently been one of the best defensive players on one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Though his offensive numbers are never going to blow anyone away – he has a career high of 42 points and has topped 35 points one other time – it is his all-around game that impresses. Heading into the 2023-24 season, Slavin will again be a featured player on a deep Hurricanes outfit. He will likely never get the love he deserves but hockey experts know the impact he has for the Hurricanes year in and year out.
Since when was Jaccob Slavin THIS good in 2017. pic.twitter.com/TawJHBJvKF
— Jacob Stoller (@JLStoller) August 25, 2023
Troy Terry (2017-current)
Like Slavin, Terry is a Denver native picked in the back half of the NHL Draft (148th overall in 2015). And like Slavin, Terry has emerged as a focal point for his team (the Ducks, in this case). With a young core looking to take a major step forward, the 25-year-old Terry is going to be an important piece of that puzzle.
After three largely forgetful seasons, Terry exploded in the 2021-22 season. He set career highs with 37 goals, 30 assists, and 67 points. His goals and points totals for the season are more than during his entire career combined prior to that point. A 2022-23 season somewhat plagued with injuries still saw him post 23 goals, a career-best 38 assists, and 61 points.
Terry is a focal point for the Ducks, playing on the top line with franchise superstar Trevor Zegras. His ceiling may be of a very good second line winger, but Terry is continuing to get opportunities. If the last two seasons are any indication, we may have yet to see the best of Troy Terry.
Troy Terry was undoubtedly the Ducks best skater last season. Check out the link for much more on Troy Terry. https://t.co/s9sqiT45FK pic.twitter.com/dim3fcSiNk
— The Pond Press (@ThePondPress) August 21, 2023
Ben Bishop (2008-2020)
Another Denver-area native, Bishop was taken with the 85th pick in the 2005 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues. For the first five seasons of his NHL career, it looked as though Bishop would be nothing more than a journeyman backup who got a little work in the NHL.
Beginning with the 2013-14 campaign, Bishop locked down the starting job in Tampa Bay for the next three years. He was quietly one of the better players in the league, earning an All-Star nod in 2015-16 and even finished as the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy after posting a 35-21-4 record with an incredible 2.06 GAA.
After being overtaken by Andrei Vasilevskiy in Tampa, Bishop eventually found a home in Dallas, picking up another Vezina runner-up nomination during an impressive 2018-19 season that saw him post an insane .934 save percentage. A torn meniscus in 2020 would ultimately end his career, with Bishop announcing his retirement in December 2021.
Top Troy Terry Tallies 🦆 pic.twitter.com/BByhIU1LRL
— NHL (@NHL) August 3, 2023
Mike Eaves (1978-1985)
At this stage in life, Eaves may be more well-known for being the father of former NHLers Patrick and Ben Eaves. But once upon a time, Mike had himself a nice little NHL career that lasted seven years following his selection in the 1976 NHL Draft (113th overall to St. Louis).
Eaves would eventually make his debut with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978-79. In his first full season the year after, Eaves posted 18 goals and 46 points in 56 games. He would carve out a role for himself as a solid bottom-six player, even hitting the 50-point mark with his first season as a Calgary Flame in 1983-84. A head injury would ultimately end his career at just 28 years old.
#SniperSaturday Happy 67th birthday Mike Eaves! Before his NHL career, Mike played 4 years ago at the University of Wisconsin (1974-78), putting up 94 goals/267 points in 160 games pic.twitter.com/Exq8WNRe4K
— Vintage Hockey Showcase (@hockey_vintage) June 10, 2023
Brandon Carlo (2016-current)
A native of Colorado Springs, Carlo is the second-highest drafted player out of Colorado, going 37th overall to the Boston Bruins in 2015. At an imposing 6’6”, Carlo would bring size and toughness to the Bruins lineup as a 20-year-old in 2016-17.
Carlo has quietly been a solid part of the Bruins’ back end for his seven years in the NHL. At 26 years old, he will return for year eight in Boston, hoping to lead the Bruins back to another impressive season in the wake of the greatest regular season a team has ever had.
Brandon Carlo with the game winner as the @NHLBruins score FIVE unanswered to grab the W! pic.twitter.com/pwMrpsfPoC
— NHL (@NHL) February 2, 2021
Brendan Lemieux (2017-current)
Lemieux, the son of famed agitator and former Conn Smythe-winner Claude, has carved out a path that would make his dad proud. The 31st pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Lemieux has bounced around a bit throughout his six-year NHL career.
Lemieux has had stops with the Rangers, Kings, and Jets, and is currently with the Flyers. He plays a fast, physical, agitating style, willing to drop the gloves when needed. He doesn’t have his dad’s offensive ability but is working to establish himself as a regular with one team going forward. He is more than ambitious enough to get the job done.
Ha, wanna hear something funny?
Brendan Lemieux waited nearly 5 months for the NHL to return. He participated in a one month training camp and then, traveled to the bubble to only play one game before him and the Rangers got eliminated lol
Ah, well my day is already better. pic.twitter.com/7iDKSs40he
— Johnny (Flyers) Hockey (@FlyersJohnny) August 6, 2020
Remember to bet on the Colorado Avalanche on ClutchBuzz here.
