Avalanche to wear Nordiques jersey in seven games in 2025-26

A team is throwing things back to its roots with a retro look this year.

On Tuesday, the Colorado Avalanche unveiled a special jersey paying homage to the Quebec Nordiques as part of the franchise’s 30th season.

The sweater is almost a carbon copy of the outfit the Noriques wore throughout their history, which spanned from its origins in the World Hockey Association in 1972 to the franchise’s final days in Quebec City in 1995. It features the old-school baby blue base, with white numbers and fleur-de-lis on the shoulders, along with the famous red igloo ‘N’ on the chest.

The uniforms are classic, though many want to see them back in circulation with an actual team in Quebec – these throwback jerseys will have to do for now.

Fans in Denver will get a chance to see their team don the throwback unis six times this season, and seven times overall this year. Beginning on Thursday night, when the Avs host the Carolina Hurricanes. Fitting, because the Hurricanes’ predecessor, the Hartford Whalers, were old Adams Division rivals of Quebec before both franchises moved out of the Northeast. The Nordiques jerseys will be worn again on Jan. 3, this time when Colorado visits the Hurricanes.

The Avs will wear the Quebec sweaters on Nov. 29 (vs. Montreal Canadiens), Jan. 12 (vs. Toronto Maple Leafs), March 16 (vs. Pittsburgh Penguins), April 1 (vs. Vancouver Canucks) and April 11 (vs. Vegas Golden Knights).

This isn’t the first time that Colorado has worn a rendition of its former mantra. When the NHL released the first line of Reverse Retro jerseys in 2021, the Avalanche wore a white Quebec jersey, though it featured more of the Avs’ modern colors.

In the Nordiques’ 23 seasons of operation, 16 of which were spent in the NHL, the team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs nine times, advancing as far as the conference finals twice. The team also won the WHA’s Avco Cup in 1977.

The jersey will be available for online purchase starting at 12 p.m. ET on Tuesday.