Brady May, left, an 18-year NHL veteran, takes a warm-up lap with a young player on the Colorado Extreme youth team before an exhibition hockey game on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Carbondale.
Jaymin Kanzer/Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Throughout the generations, an unimaginable amount of hockey fans have admired professional athletes and dreamt of the chance to see them play in person — even if that meant sitting in the last row of the arena.

Founded in 2021, local youth hockey program Colorado Extreme gives kids in the Roaring Fork Valley the opportunity to play hockey for free and fall in love with the game through the joy of competition.

Over the weekend, Colorado Extreme gave hockey fans another reason to fall in love with the game — fans of all ages had an unmatched opportunity to watch an intimate hockey game between some of the most talented hockey players to ever touch the ice in the third annual NHL Alumni Outdoor Classic on Saturday at the Steadman Philippon Arena in Carbondale. 

During the game, former Avalanche greats took on NHL alumni and influencers alike in a fierce competition of skill and prowess. In between periods, influencers participated in a shootout with former NHL goalie coach and current Colorado Extreme CEO Steve Briere in between the posts. Ultimately, the Avalanche alumni took down the NHL stars, 7-4.

“This is so awesome, it’s like going back to my roots,” said Peter Forsberg, a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Hall of Famer, and Avalanche legend. “This is how I grew up playing outdoors back in Sweden. The atmosphere is great and the whole area is fantastic. I hope I get the invite next year.”

No where else have hockey fans been able to watch Henrik Lundqvist and Marc-André Fleury take the ice on the same team, see Avalanche greats throughout the years like Shane O’Brien and Tyson Barrie move the puck with ease, take pictures with influencers like Pavel Barber and Old Time Hawkey, and watch Hall of Famers like Duncan Keith and Forsberg lace up the skates and take the ice on the same outdoor rink.

Forsberg said seeing the joy on the kids’ faces brought him back to his childhood and said the Alumni Classic is “what hockey should be all about.”

“I remember when I was young, looking up to the older players that were good in my hometown,” he said. “It’s really cool to see the excitement on their faces, to see these good players on their home ice. This is what hockey should be all about, just having fun and having a good time.”

The third annual event went above and beyond, building off two prior years of success. After a touching rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, an F-16 fighter jet roared above a thousand spectators and erupted the crowd. Colorado Extreme President and 1995 NHL first-overall pick Bryan Berard said the crowd pop after the flyover gave him chills.

Shane O’Brien tallied 165 penalty minutes in just 104 games with the Colorado Avalanche over two years, quickly becoming a fan favorite. He was one of countless former stars to take the ice on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Carbondale. Jaymin Kanzer/Glenwood Springs Post Independent

A young fan is stunned with delight after Colorado Avalanche hockey legend Shane O’Brien gave him his sunglasses before the game on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Carbondale. Jaymin Kanzer/Glenwood Springs Post Independent

“I’m so excited to see this turnout,” he said. “Especially that flyover, it honestly gave me chills. The event has taken off, and to see all the kids out here getting autographs and having a good time is what it’s all about.”

Kids looked in every direction, surrounded by legends. Lundqvist, a hockey Hall of Famer, 2012 Vezina Trophy winner, and current TBS analyst, said returning to the event was an easy decision.

“It’s a win-win,” he said. “First off, we love Sheldon (Wolitsky, Colorado Extreme founder) and what he’s doing for the game of hockey. Being able to connect with former opponents and teammates is a blast, and we all just love being out here trying to grow the game at the same time.”

With an increased reach in its third iteration, including NHL Network in attendance, the NHL Alumni Outdoor Classic created a memory for kids throughout the area that will last a lifetime, and made strides toward making the annual event a Carbondale tradition for years to come.