Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Colorado Avalanche.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Hockey League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Colorado had another good year, but disappointed in the playoffs and were bounced in the first round.  With a lot of potent players on their roster, there were significant elevations, as well as two new inductions.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Joe Sakic

2. Peter Forsberg

3. Michel Goulet

4. Peter Stastny

5. Patrick Roy

You can find the entire list here.

Nathan MacKinnon, inched his way to the top five, moving from #7 to #6.  He is also coming off of his best year to date, and is inches away from supplanting Patrick Roy for the fifth spot.

Forward, Mikko Rantanen climbed to #13 from #16.

Former Norris Trophy winner, Cale Makar, advanced from #28 to #20.

Two more Defenseman, Devin Toews and Samuel Girard make their first appearance on the list at #35 and #38 respectively.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Whether it’s fantasy football, the pools or a bit of good old-fashioned spot the ball, there has always been a deep-routed connection between football and the gambling world.

According to the Gambling Commission, it is estimated that football accounted for almost half of the £2.3bn revenues generated by online betting in the UK in 2022. The sport had the highest betting activity in the UK, drawing in £1.1bn in gross gaming revenues.

We take a look and some of the developments that are strengthening the alliance between gambling and the beautiful game. 

In stadium betting

A number of football stadiums now offer betting kiosks, allowing fans the convenience of betting within the grounds. In the UK, BD Sports Group are one of the top providers and are in partnership with some of the bigger bookies such as William Hill. Their kiosks alone can be found at over 30 stadiums across the UK including Everton, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Many such clubs enter partnerships with betting companies that contribute significantly to revenue streams. Throw in the convenience and excitement of live betting and it’s no surprise that more kiosks are appearing across the country.

Developments in online betting

For those who prefer to watch the match from the comfort of their own home, betting apps and online betting platforms have been around for some time now, but with continual advancements in user interface, experience and engagement is becoming considerably more advanced.

Some platforms are using live-streaming integration which allows users to bet directly within the platform. More advanced data analytics and developments in machine learning also provide more accurate odds and a personalised, data-driven approach to betting.

One of the most recent developments in the world of digital betting is the introduction of virtual sports. For example, Betradar is currently the market leader within this area offering the latest in 3D visualization and betting options with many formats available based on popular real competitions.

Users can place bets on virtual matches meaning there is a constant stream of betting opportunities even outside of the football season.

Football and casinos

Pop-up casinos have always been a great way to raise funds and the number of smaller regional clubs hosting casino events in the club grounds is on the rise.

This has also extended into the premier league with clubs taking things a step further. Aston Villa, for example, have frequently hosted immersive experiences at the stadium including James Bond and Las Vegas-style evenings. However, with packages costing upwards of £1000, the demand for cheaper alternatives is high.

Footie fans who like a flutter, are instead choosing online platforms for a casino experience and a spot of half-time fun. Rather than games such as blackjack and poker, hosts have been turning to games such as online roulette New Jersey. The popularity of online roulette is largely down to the fact that no setup is required, and live games are available meaning the energy and momentum of the match is maintained.

Whether it's betting companies displaying logos on kit and stadium signage or sponsorship deals with football clubs and leagues, gambling has long been synonymous with football.

This partnership continues to significantly contribute to the financial strength of the sport. So long as essential dialogues and regulatory measures are maintained, there would seem no reason as to why this alliance should come to an end any time soon.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.  Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives.  As such, it is important to us that the

Chicago Bulls have announced the creation of their Ring of Honor, which will initially house 13 members and one team.

They will be celebrating this over the weekend of January 11-12.

Named to the Chicago Bulls’ Ring of Honor will be:

Artis Gilmore, Center, 1977-82 & 1988.  Gilmore went to four All-Stars as a Bull, leading the NBA in Effective Field Goal Percentage twice.  He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.

Phil Jackson, Assistant Coach, 1988-89 & Head Coach 1990-98.  “The Zen Master” guided Chicago to all six of their titles, and had a record of 545 and 193 with the Bulls.

Michael Jordan, Guard, 1985-93 & 1995-98.  The greatest player of all time was a six-time Champion and entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.  He was a 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA player, 10-time Scoring Champion and five-time MVP.  Jordan was also named to the 75^th Anniversary Team, and was a six-time Finals MVP.

Johnny “Red” Kerr, Head Coach 1967-68, Broadcaster 1975-08.  Kerr was the voice of the Bulls for decades and became synonymous with the team despite starring as a player for years with Syracuse/Philadelphia.

Dick Klein, General Manager, 1967-69.  Klein was also the team’s founder.

Jerry Krause, General Manager 1985-03.  Krause presided over all six of Chicago’s championships and was arguably its architect. 

Toni Kukoc, Forward, 1994-00.  Kukoc helped Chicago win three titles and won a Sixth Man of the Year Award.  He entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Bob Love, Forward, 1969-77.  Love went to three All-Star Games, and was twice a Second Team All-Star.

Scottie Pippen, Forward, 1988-98 & 2004.  Pippen was Robin to Jordan’s Batman in those six titles and was a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, and eight-time All-Defensive Selection.  Pippen became a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2010.

Dennis Rodman, Forward, 1996-98.  Rodman helped anchor Chicago to their second three-peat and was a three-time Rebounding Champion as a Bull.  He was chosen for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.

Jerry Sloan, Guard/Forward, 1967-76, Assistant Coach 1978, Head Coach 1980-82.  Sloan was a two-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Selection as a player and he entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 as a Coach.

Chet Walker, Forward, 1970-75.  Walker played the second half of his career with the Bulls where he had four of his seven All-Star.  He entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Tex Winter, Assistant Coach, 1986-99.  Winter was an Assistant Coach for all six of Chicago’s championships.

The 1996 Championship Team.  This squad went 72-10 and won the organization’s fourth title.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com are thrilled with the Chicago Bulls pursuit of honoring their past legends.

Samuel Girard only made it five games with the Nashville Predators before he was packaged off to the Colorado Avalanche early in the 2017/18 Season. 

Still with the Avs, Girard might be undersized, but can quarterback a power play, rarely makes mistakes and played a solid role in Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup win. 

Girard is still with Colorado and while he will not be a top ten player on this team, his rank will grow with expanded tenure.