This isn’t a typical Thursday night in the regular season for the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avs are debuting throwback Quebec Nordiques uniforms as part of the club’s 30th anniversary season since moving to Denver from Quebec City. Colorado is facing the Carolina Hurricanes, who will wear their Hartford Whalers uniforms as part of a heritage night celebration.
Not only with this be a visually striking game, but it’s two of the best teams in the NHL. They’re a combined 10-1-2 to start the season — tied for first and tied for fourth in points percentage — and two of the league’s top Stanley Cup contenders.
Then there’s the pregame celebration for Brent Burns, who recently played his 1,500th career NHL game. And, it’s a big reunion — three of the Avs players are ex-Hurricanes who are playing against Carolina for the first time since leaving Raleigh.
“I was already thinking about this game before the season, that I’m excited for this and to see the guys,” Avs forward Martin Necas said. “And I want to beat them.”
Necas and Jack Drury came to Colorado in the January trade for Mikko Rantanen. Burns joined the Avs as a free agent in July. Necas and Drury were drafted and developed by Carolina.
It was the only NHL organization they knew before the seismic trade in January. Both players are in the final year of their contracts, but trying to find their way with a new-ish team.
Necas had a strong start to last season with the Hurricanes, which led to a career-high 83 points. He’s got 11 in seven games this year with the Avs, playing next to Nathan MacKinnon in a partnership that could produce new career bests for Necas in both goals and points.
“It’s been coming. You could see it from day one of us having him,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You knew he was a special player. I think him understanding how to play … there’s certain times in areas that you’ve got to be a little more responsible. I think he figured that out the last couple of years.”
While Necas deals with the one-to-one comparisons with Rantanen, Drury has plenty to prove as well. He’s centering Colorado’s third line after establishing himself last year as the club’s No. 4 pivot.
Drury’s defensive bona fides are established. It’s the offensive upside that is still to be determined. If he can produce like a league-average 3C, his next contract should be a significant financial windfall for him.
“You love to coach him because he’s motivated every night,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s never going to cheat you on his work ethic, his try. He’s a detailed guy that wants to know what to do, and you can rely on him to be able to do that to the best of his ability every night.”
Drury’s previous NHL coach offered similar praise.
“It’s hard not to like players who compete and do what coaches draw up and put the team first and have a role,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, what do you do?’ Anybody who has watched Jack Drury can tell you exactly what he does.”
Burns played No. 1,500 against Dallas earlier this season. This will be No. 1,505 for him, but after spending three years with the Hurricanes, it was a natural spot in the schedule for the Avs to have a full ceremony for the achievement.
It’s his fourth team. He has nothing left to prove in Year 22 of a Hall of Fame career. Still, he’s in Denver chasing the one big to-do item left on his checklist — winning the Stanley Cup. He’s been a fit for the Avs, both on the second defense pairing and in the dressing room.
All three of the ex-Hurricanes have worn the white Whalers sweaters during their time in Raleigh. Now they’ll be the first NHL players in three decades to suit up in both of these iconic uniforms. And they all have a little extra motivation.
It’s certainly not a typical Thursday night in October for them.
“I played there for six or seven years, made a lot of great friends that I’ve kept in touch with,” Necas said. “They drafted me, and it was nice to get it going there, but that chapter is over.
“Obviously, it’s a big game, first game against them. Especially, Nordiques against Whalers is going to be special. I’m super excited.”
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