The Best Captain in Hockey will be Back for Another Year
At thirty seven years of age, Joe Sakic had his best year of producton in terms of offense since the 2000-2001 season. With 100 points by way of 36 goals and 64 assists he led the Avalanche in both categories, so why would he bother retiring?
Joe Sakic could have, very easily, taken a tour of many NHL cities this coming off season, and almost named his price on the free-agent market, after all a good captain is hard to come by and there isn’t a better captain in the League than Joe Sakic. So why did Sakic sign a one year deal with the Avalanche, before even hearing the multitude of offers that would have been made available to him?
In his words, Colorado and the Avalanche are “home”. Sakic was originally drafted by the Quebec Nordiques (the team that later moved and became the Colorado Avalanche) in the first round of the 1987 draft. He played his first game for the team in 1988 and has been an integral part of the organization ever since.
The contracts were Tuesday, just a few days after the regular season ended. The Avalanche failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1993-1994 season despite an incredible run over the course of the last 20 games of the season.
In ‘07 Sakic had the best of his twleve all-star game appearances, collecting four assists as the elder statesman on the ice
Sakic led the Avalanche to two Stanley Cup Championships - in the ‘95-’96 season and again in 2000-2001 and he’ll be entering next season poised to move himself up in the record books. Joe currently sits in ninth position on the all-time points list and tied for fourteenth on the all time goals scored list.
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