A tribute to Lappy...

On July 2, 2004 Ian Laperriere signed a free agent contract with the Colorado Avalanche. Ian quickly became a fan favorite for the Avs fans. Ian had his own fan club called "it's all about Lappy" and t-shirts with that saying were seen all over Pepsi Center. July 1, 2009, 5 years after Lappy signed with the Avs, Ian was unable to agree to a new deal with the Avs and therefore, he signed a three-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Look through of the 5 years Ian was with the avs:

05-06 season:

• Ian was an immediate success in Colorado in 05-06 season, posting the best points total of his career. He scored 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points. His previous best was during his rookie season in the NHL with 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points.


• Played in all 82 games for the first time in his career.


• led the Avs with 119 penalty minutes and 12 fighting majors.


• Led all NHL forwards with 92 blocked shots.


• He scored 2 goals in his 700th game against his former team, the Los Angeles Kings.


• Scored his first career overtime goal on October 29 against the Vancouver Canucks.


• Ian was named alternate captain in mid-November


• He recorded a career high of three points on January 5 at Minnesota.


• He scored his 20th goal of the season on April 8 against St. Louis, passing the 20 goal mark for the first time in his career. In doing so, he became the first Avalanche player to score 20 goals and compile 100 penalty minutes since 1998-1999.

06-07 season:

• Led the Avs in penalty minutes with 133.


• Led the Avs in fighting majors with 17, tied for second in NHL.


• Scored his 100th career goal on October 29 against the Minnesota Wild.


• Skated in his 800th NHL game on November 28th at Calgary.


• Missed his first game as a member of the Avalanche on March 29 when he sat out because of a groin injury.


• Was selected by his teammates to be the Avalanche's nominee for the King Clancy Trophy (given to the player who demonstrates leadership and humanitarian contribution in his community).


• He was also one of three recipients of the 2007 Chopper Travaglini Award (presented to the team players that best exemplify Chopper's legacy of giving back to children in the community).

07-08 season:

• Ian led the Avs with 20 fighting majors and was also team leader in penalty minutes with 140.
• He appeared in his 900th NHL game on February 6 at San Jose
• He scored his third career playoff goal in game 2 of the Western Conference Semi Finals at detroit on April 26.
• In June 2008, Ian was one of four men honored by the American Diabetes Association and the Denver Father’s Day Council as a “Father of the Year."

08-09 season:

• Led the team with 163 penalty minutes, the second highest total of his career.
• He ranked first among Colorado forwards in blocked shots with 69 and was third in hits with 103, and he also led the club with 17 fighting majors.


• He played in his 1,000th NHL game on April 11 versus Vancouver, who was the same opponent that he faced in his very first NHL game in 1994.


• He was also honored as the Avalanche's nominee for the 2009 Bill Masterton Trophy (given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey).

Ian was the team's fighter but even though he did fight all the time, his teammates and other people that meet him, consider him to be one of the nicest guys in the NHL. I am going to miss you Lappy and I hope everything goes well in Philadelphia.

Information gathered from: http://www.itsallaboutlappy.com/index.html