 In May 1995 , the Nordiques announced that the team had been sold and were relocating from Quebec . Before the start of the 1995 – 96 season , the franchise moved to Denver , Colorado , and was renamed the Colorado Avalanche . Sakic led the team to its first Stanley Cup championship , scoring 120 points in 82 regular season games and 34 points in 22 playoff games . He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 1996 NHL playoffs . During the run for the Cup , Sakic again proved himself to be an effective team leader . Although his Nordiques had missed the playoffs in five of his first seven years in the NHL , he scored 18 goals , including six game @-@ winners , and 34 points . He was one goal off from the record for goals in a playoff year , and his game @-@ winning goals established a new record . 
