 On July 1, 2012, Parenteau signed, as an unrestricted free agent, to a four-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche.With the lock-out-shortened 2012–13 season delaying his Colorado debut, Parenteau later scored his first goal for the Avalanche in a 3–1 home opening victory over the Los Angeles Kings on January 22, 2013.He scored in the Avalanche's first four home games, becoming the first Avalanche to do so since Peter Forsberg and Chris Drury in 2000–01.