It used to be tough to get a Colorado Avalanche ticket. “Those days are long gone,” according to CBS4, which notes that the Avs have slipped to 23rd in the National Hockey League in terms of attendance.

When former Av Claude Lemieux was in Denver last week with his new team, the San Jose Sharks, he was disappointed to see so many empty seats. Back in his day, the Avs were on a streak–487 consecutive sellouts.

While the decline of great names and lousy play lately could be the reason why interest is lagging, perhaps it’s the economy, say current players.