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#19 Goes To The Rafters In Denver
by Paul on 07/09/09 at 11:37 AM ET
Comments (7)
DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the organization will officially retire number 19 in honor of team captain Joe Sakic.
The club will raise Sakic’s number 19 in a special ceremony prior to the start of the club’s 2009-10 season opener (game date and time to be announced).
“It is appropriate and deserving that we launch the season by honoring Joe’s accomplishments,” said Avalanche President Pierre Lacroix. “It will be a tremendous event for a very special person and hockey player. We can’t put into words what he meant to this franchise and to our hockey fans.
“Joe’s numbers and records speak for themselves. He’s been the face of the franchise for two complete decades and his impact on this team and this city cannot be overstated. By retiring number 19, we are honoring one of the finest professionals in the history of the National Hockey League and we are bidding farewell to one of the greatest individuals in pro sports.”
Sakic’s 19 will be the third sweater number to be retired in the 14-year history of the Colorado Avalanche, joining Ray Bourque (77) and Patrick Roy (33). Sakic will be the seventh player in franchise history to have his sweater number retired, as the Quebec Nordiques retired the jerseys of Peter Stastny (26), Michel Goulet (16), Marc Tardif (8) and J.C. Tremblay (3).
Filed in: NHL Teams, Colorado Avalanche | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Joe+Sakic,
Comments
Sakic and Roy I understand. But I did not know Ray Bourque’s jersey was retired in Colorado. And now that I do, I have to ask, why? He played there for less than 2 seasons.
Hey, when he had retired Bourque had essentially played for a quarter of the Avs existence, right? That’d be like a Red Wing playing for Detroit for 20 years or something. 
Posted by HockeyinHD on 07/09/09 at 01:08 PM ET
“Sakic and Roy I understand. But I did not know Ray Bourque’s jersey was retired in Colorado. And now that I do, I have to ask, why? He played there for less than 2 seasons.”
Posted by awould on 07/09/09 at 12:46 PM ET
Totally agree. I don’t really know why, as I’m ambivalent towards the B’s, but I never really had that “Bourque finally got his cup” feeling with him. I always felt he just bought it. (Or Jersey gave it to him..they should have won that series) I would have had more respect for him for sticking with his team and not winning it.
Just my take.
Posted by dip on 07/09/09 at 01:42 PM ET
By the way, doesn’t this announcement from the Avs pre-empt Joe’s announcement? Shouldn’t this have been made after his?
Posted by dip on 07/09/09 at 01:43 PM ET
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Sakic and Roy I understand. But I did not know Ray Bourque’s jersey was retired in Colorado. And now that I do, I have to ask, why? He played there for less than 2 seasons.
Obviously it should be retired in Boston, but it’s not like he was some mainstay in Colorado who helped build the franchise. No disrespect intended to Bourque, a definite HOF player, but it seems sort of lame for Colorado to claim him in that way.
Posted by awould on 07/09/09 at 11:46 AM ET