When the Avalanche arrived in 1995, young hockey players with big dreams had to move elsewhere to find adequate competition. Now, the competition moves here.
Billet parents Rob and Debi Hoffman of Colorado Springs have four children, but they helped raise four others out of their previous Monument home, plus others on a part-time basis.
Their billets are temporarily adopted hockey players — the ones looking to play juniors, in college or professionally. Cam Strong came from Billings, Mont., Garrett Metcalf from Salt Lake City and Charlie Donlin and Matt LaPrade from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.