7:45 a.m.: The Avalanche is heading home today, and it's an early wakeup call for much of the team. If the players and staff want to check a bag--have it in the belly of the plane--it needs to be on the equipment truck by 7:45 a.m.
Colorado's team bus doesn't leave for another 45 minutes after that, and the members of the squad either go back to their rooms to finish packing their carry-on, go and grab a lite breakfast, or just hang out in the lobby until departure time.
8:30 a.m.: Colorado's team bus departs the Grand Hotel in central Stockholm and makes the 40-minute drive to the airport.
Once at the airport, the players, coaches and support staff go through security before loading back onto a bus to get to their charter plane on the tarmac. The bus drops the club right at the bottom of the stairs to the plane, making for a quick load-in process.
10:00 a.m. CET: The Avalanche's team plane takes off and makes the roughly 10-hour flight back to Denver.
During the trip, most of the players take a nap and then pass the time by playing cards, reading, watching movies or listening to music.
There are also two meals that are served, a brunch and then a dinner.
12:21 p.m. MT: The team lands in Denver, arriving home just after noon. Unlike most trips where the players can immediately walk off the plane and go straight to their vehicles, the team needs to clear customs at the terminal at Denver International Airport.
Luckily, there weren't many other international flights that arrived at the same time, and the club breezed through immigration. The Avs then loaded onto a charter bus, which took them back to their cars at a nearby parking lot. The Avalanche was back at its vehicles at 1:10 p.m., and the players quickly dispersed, heading home to see their families and readjust to the time change.
