Avalanche hold Next Generation Night, let kids run show

The Colorado Avalanche will have seven new assistants Sunday, and they are all under 12 years old.

The Avalanche will host "Next Generation Night" during their game against the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena (8 p.m. ET; ALT2, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) by having a handful of young fans tag along with their adult counterparts to learn all about life in the NHL.
"Last year we celebrated our 25th anniversary season for the Avalanche and 25 years here in Denver, and we're so proud of our rich history," Avalanche vice president of marketing Meredith Lavery said. "It's shaped who we are today, but now that we're looking ahead to the next 25, we really wanted to shift focus from looking back at the past to celebrating the future, the bright future that lies ahead and that starts with cultivating a relationship with our young Avalanche fans and fostering that fandom from an early age."
Since the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995 and became the Avalanche, they have cultivated a broad fan base aided by their Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001. Now, some of the younger fans will get a peek behind the curtain of gameday duties as seven kids shadow arena employees. Coach Jared Bednar, mascot Bernie, the Altitude Sports TV host, in-arena public address announcer, team reporter, gameday host and arena DJ will show a young fan the ins and outs of their job.
The Avalanche have won 17 consecutive games at home, outscoring their opponents 80-40 during that stretch. Only four other times in NHL history have teams -- Detroit Red Wings (2011-12), Boston Bruins (1929-30, 1970-71) and Philadelphia Flyers (1975-76) -- went on longer runs on home ice.
"The fans show up every single night and they're a huge part to why this team is successful at home," Avalanche in-arena reporter Rachel Richlinski said. "They're the heart and soul of the team."
Throughout the night, Richlinski wants her shadow, Madi Easdon, to understand the vast opportunities in sports.
"I'm so passionate about giving back to younger girls and young women, helping them see that it is possible to be a woman in sports, to work in sports and be successful at that," Richlinski said. "Being that representation and giving Madi and other little girls something to look up to is very important to me and I hope that she leaves this experience knowing that she can be an in-arena host, but she can also be a P.A. announcer, she can work in marketing, the options are endless for her."
At 11-years-old, Madi hasn't thought too much about a career in sports, but said she hopes to interview an Avalanche player and become more comfortable talking in front of a large crowd.
"Madi is really active in the theatre," her father Jon Easdon said. "I think this night is going to be eye opening for her."
It's one Richlinski wishes she was a part of growing up.
"This night definitely would have influenced me as a child because it would've helped my current role seem more realistic and attainable," she said. "I've worked very hard to get to the role I'm in now, but a lot of these jobs seemed very farfetched for a very long time for me, primarily because I didn't see it."
But when she did, Richlinski said she was hooked.
Before she left for Louisiana State University in 2012, Richlinski was sitting in her living room one day with her stepdad in her southern Louisiana home watching a football game. When Richlinski saw CBS field reporter Tracy Wolfson's pregame hit, she was instantly intrigued.
"Hey, I want to do that," she remembered thinking.
And now that she does, one of Richlinski's favorite parts of working for the Avalanche is the fan base, the "Avs Faithful." Like the Easdon family, who drives 70 miles from their home in Colorado Springs to Ball Arena, 25 games a season.
To become a shadow for Next Generation Night, Madi and other Avalanche fans submitted a 30-second audition video explaining why they think they're the biggest Colorado hockey fan and chanting "Here come the Avalanche!" and "Go Avs Go!" The final seven were chosen from the audition pool.
Madi, who attended her first Avalanche game at six months old, has plenty of practice cheering on the Mile High hockey club.
"I wear my jersey to school," Madi said. "I cry when they lose. I cry when they win."
Like Jon.
"I've been an Avalanche fan since 1995 when they moved to Colorado," he said. "I was a Nordiques fan when I was really young."
On Sunday, Jon said he wants Madi to learn that her passion can also be her profession, like he found as a professional fly-fishing guide.
"I think that's huge for any kid to see," Jon said. "Even the kids that are just at the game, they're going to see other kids in those roles. It's all about inspiration and, also, that there's no barriers for women."
Richlinski agrees.
"I hope that this helps the next generation understand that the Avalanche organization is embracing them," Richlinski said. "We recognize what's different about each generation, what's unique about them, we want to lean into that, learn from them and help this next generation feel welcomed and understand that hockey is for everyone at the end of the day."