Sometimes lost amid the emphasis on the Red Wings-Avalanche enmity during the heyday of the rivalry, with mayhem replayed more often than either their skillful play or "Seinfeld" episodes, is that these were, at the time, the two best teams — not just in the Western Conference, but in the NHL.
Detroit and Colorado won a combined five Stanley Cup championships in the seven seasons from 1995-96 through 2001-02.
It was an instant rivalry — not a deep-rooted one — exploding in the first season, and especially in the first playoff matchup in the Western Conference finals, after the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995.