From management to coaching to culture, the Avalanche has crafted Stanley Cup contender around homegrown stars

Nearly everyone who joins the Colorado Avalanche from another NHL organization has their own story about when they learned that this place was different. Josh Manson has been in Colorado since March 2022, so he's had the chance to watch plenty of new teammates go through the same experience. Casey Mittelstadt, who sits next to Manson in the locker room at Ball Arena, had the same thoughts after arriving in March in a trade from Buffalo. “My first practice was back here (in Denver) at altitude,” Manson said.