Which NHL team was originally the Quebec Nordiques?

The NHL team that was originally the Quebec Nordiques is the Colorado Avalanche. The franchise moved from Quebec City to Denver in 1995 and began playing as the Avalanche for the 1995–96 season.

The Nordiques began in 1972 as one of the original teams in the World Hockey Association. When the WHA folded in 1979, Quebec joined the NHL along with the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, and the original Winnipeg Jets.

Financial difficulties in Quebec City eventually led owner Marcel Aubut to sell the club to Denver-based investors. The renamed Avalanche made an immediate impact: in their first Colorado season, they won the Stanley Cup by sweeping the Florida Panthers in the 1996 Final.

The franchise’s history still connects both cities. Colorado’s records and many of its stars—including Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg—trace back to the Nordiques era. This is different from the modern Winnipeg Jets, whose franchise history began with the Atlanta Thrashers and is separate from the original Jets franchise.