Upcoming Colorado Avalanche dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The Avalanche seat call at Ball Arena
For a Colorado Avalanche game, buy a 100-level sideline seat between the blue lines, in the middle or upper rows. Ball Arena holds 17,809 for hockey, and from that angle you see breakouts, line changes and power plays form at both ends without the boards cutting off the near wall.
- For the best balance of view and comfort: the 200-level club ring along the sideline.
- For Avs goals in front of you: the end Colorado attacks in the first and third periods.
- For the smallest outlay with a full rink: front rows of the 300 level on the sideline.
- For noise and speed rather than reading the play: row 1 on the glass.
The regular season runs from October into April, with playoff hockey possible from late April through June.
Three rings at Ball Arena, compared
100 level: the lower bowl
Rows climb from the glass to the suite line. The front rows feel the hits; the middle and upper rows give the cleaner view. On a tighter budget, mid-level rows in the 100-level corners usually cost less than the sideline and still show both nets.
200 level: the club ring
A smaller middle tier with club access and more legroom. The higher, wider angle shows the whole sheet, so it suits a first-time hockey guest or anyone who wants an easier night with shorter lines.
300 level: the upper bowl
The highest and least expensive ring. It is steep, which keeps the full rink in sight. A front-row 300-level seat on the sideline is generally a better buy than an upper-corner seat one level lower, because the angle matters more than the distance.
Glass, corners and the east-end goal
The Avalanche, like every NHL home team, shoot at one net twice: in the first and third periods. One seating guide puts that net at the east end, near lower-level sections 136 to 138, and places the team benches in front of sections 102 and 148. That is a single source, so check the seating map attached to your listing and watch warmups on the night.
- Row 1 on the glass: the closest seat in the house, but the boards hide play along your wall and the far corners are hard to judge. Treat it as an experience seat.
- Ten or more rows up: you look over the glass and its reflections, and the game reads clearly.
- High 300-level corners: far away at an awkward angle. If you can, step down to the low 300 sideline rows instead.
- Long rows in a sellout: an aisle seat spares you a crawl past a dozen fans at intermission.
Avs nights that go first
Preseason games start in late September. The 82-game schedule, 41 of them at Ball Arena, runs from October to mid-April, followed by the playoffs from late April into June.
- Detroit: the Red Wings rivalry of 1996 to 2002, five playoff series in seven seasons, still draws longtime fans.
- Central Division opponents: the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars and Utah Mammoth visit several times a year with standings on the line.
- Original Six clubs: Toronto, Montreal and the Rangers come once a season and bring out fans who moved to Colorado.
- Friday, Saturday and holiday dates: these sell ahead of midweek games.
- Playoff games: resale prices react to every result in a series.
For the widest choice of sections, look at midweek games against Eastern Conference clubs in November, January and early February. Denver also draws traveling road fans, which can lift an otherwise quiet date.
Rail to Chopper Circle, and the clutch rule
Ball Arena stands at 1000 Chopper Circle on the west edge of downtown, near Lower Downtown (LoDo) and the South Platte River. RTD light rail stops right beside it at the Ball Arena–Elitch Gardens station, and Denver Union Station is roughly half a mile away on foot, so dinner in LoDo and a walk over works well.
Official lots open three hours before events; the closest cost the most, and cheaper lots sit across Auraria Parkway. The Denver City Council approved a large mixed-use development on the surrounding lots in October 2024, so expect parking to shift as building starts.
House rules as of the 2025–26 season, per Visit Denver's April 2026 arena guide and the arena's own policy:
- Bags: clutches, wristlets and fanny packs of about 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches or smaller only. No backpacks or purses. Diaper and medical bags up to 14 by 14 by 6 inches are allowed after X-ray screening at Door 1, and paid Binbox lockers sit in the Grand Atrium.
- Re-entry: none, so a locker stays locked until you leave.
- Payment: most stands are cashless; bring a card or phone wallet.
Rules change, so read the Ball Arena bag policy before you go. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Coors Field, Falcon Stadium and Salt Lake City
Colorado has moved a home game outdoors twice. At Coors Field in the 2016 Stadium Series, Detroit won 5–3 in front of 50,095. At Falcon Stadium, on the U.S. Air Force Academy grounds, the Los Angeles Kings won the 2020 game 3–1 before 43,574. The league has also scheduled the Avalanche for the 2027 Winter Classic against Utah at Rice–Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City; confirm the date on the NHL schedule.
If you want to follow the team on the road, Salt Lake City, Dallas and Minneapolis are the most practical division trips from Denver.
Nordiques roots and three championship springs
The club began in 1972 as the Quebec Nordiques, a founding member of the World Hockey Association (a rival league that merged into the NHL in 1979). It moved to Denver in 1995 and played at McNichols Sports Arena until the Pepsi Center opened on October 1, 1999. That building took the Ball Arena name on October 22, 2020, and it also houses the NBA's Denver Nuggets and the National Lacrosse League's Colorado Mammoth. Stan Kroenke has owned the Avalanche since 2000.
- 1996: a December 1995 trade brought goaltender Patrick Roy from Montreal, and the first Denver season ended with a Cup-clinching sweep of Florida.
- 2001: a seven-game final against New Jersey, after which captain Joe Sakic passed the Cup to Ray Bourque, who had waited 22 seasons to lift it.
- 2022: a third title, in six games against Tampa Bay.
Current rosters and dates are on the Avalanche team site.
Frequently asked questions
Which level is the best value for an Avalanche game?
Front rows of the 300 level on the sideline. The upper bowl is steep enough to show the whole rink, and the sideline angle beats a high corner seat lower down.
Which end does Colorado attack twice?
One seating guide places it at the east end, near lower-level sections 136 to 138, with benches in front of 102 and 148. Confirm on your listing's map and at warmups.
Is there a train stop at Ball Arena?
Yes. RTD's Ball Arena-Elitch Gardens light rail station is beside the arena, and Denver Union Station is about half a mile away on foot.
Can you bring a purse into Ball Arena?
Not as of the 2025-26 season. Only clutches, wristlets and fanny packs of about 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches are allowed, plus screened medical and diaper bags. Check the current policy before you go.
When did the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup?
In 1996, 2001 and 2022. The 1996 title came in the club's first season after leaving Quebec City.