Avalanche practice facility under fire as safety concerns mount
Photo credit: Denver Post
The Colorado Avalanche's practice facility is facing scrutiny as safety concerns continue to rise, raising questions about player welfare and readiness ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Family Sports, the Avalanche's practice facility, has done its job, but to maintain elite hockey in this market, both the ice and the supporting infrastructure require significant upgrades.
Ice issues highlight need for new Avalanche practice facility.
Ryan O'Hara from Mile High Hockey writes that over the past week, the ice has caused numerous falls, not only for casual skaters but also for elite players.
"Players affected in recent sessions include Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Sam Malinski, and Gavin Brindley. On Monday, T.J. Tynan and Zakhar Bardakov nearly wiped out in the same exact spot during drills. The divot was so pronounced that the drill had to be altered on the fly, visible from the stands as a glaring hazard." -O'Hara
The issue resurfaced Tuesday when Drury took a tumble after hitting a sizeable divot near the net. Such incidents are becoming more frequent each session, and for a team like the Avalanche, already plagued by injuries last season, this is a problem they would undoubtedly want to prevent.
Brittle ice is deceptive. When it's too hard, it chips and cracks, creating grooves that can catch skates, exactly what's happening at this heavily used arena.
"Fixing the issue, of course, comes with a cost. On one hand, if the owners had the funds to upgrade the rink, one might assume they would have acted already. On the other hand, there's always the incentive to let the revenue continue rolling in unchecked - why spend money if you don't have to? That perspective, too, holds water. What's needed is an incentive, a little nudge to get them to invest in improvements. Yet, it appears that step has already been taken." -O'Hara
As of December 2024, the Avalanche are valued at $1.7 billion, up 48% from last year. Owner Stan Kroenke, who controls six sports franchises, has a net worth around $21 billion, making him one of the richest team owners globally.
"With that level of resources, a world-class team can absolutely be provided the practice facility and amenities it merits. And if Kroenke is unwilling to invest, public funding should be considered - as is often the case with billionaire-owned ventures." -O'Hara
If Family Sports Center can't meet the team's needs, it's time to take action to provide players with the proper facilities and support they deserve, before an unnecessary injury occurs. We can do better than this.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 19 | 23 ANSWERS Avalanche practice facility under fire as safety concerns mount Is is time that team owner Stan Kroenke invests in a new practice facility for the Avalanche? | ||
| yes | 23 | 100 % |
| no | 0 | 0 % |
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