Entries with the tag: joe+sakic

Decision Time For Sakic

by Paul on 05/04/08 at 07:58 AM
Comments (9)

from Adrian Dater of All Things Avs,

The thing that makes me wonder a little more whether he’ll retire, though, is this: I wonder if Sakic was maybe a little scared by this last series, at how much better Datsyuk and Zetterberg were than him or anyone else up front on the Avs. They just zipped past anybody on the ice, including No. 19, and when a great player no longer feels he can dominate any opponent anymore, no matter who they are, they lose the thing inside that made them the best in the first place.

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Wondering if Joe Sakic was “scared” is really hard to believe.  Perhaps ‘has realized’, ‘the writing may be on the wall’, ‘looked a half-step behind’ would be a better fit, but one thing for sure, Sakic is not “scared”!

Come Back Joe

by Paul on 05/02/08 at 10:42 AM
Comments (4)

from Pierre LeBrun of Sportsnet,

For the record, Sakic told reporters again this week in Denver that he wouldn’t be making that decision until this summer. It’s obviously the kind of decision that needs time and reflection.

I think the decision has never been tougher for him. Turning 39 on July 7, Sakic knows Father Time has his finger on the buzzer. Right now he just needs a timeout to make the hardest call in his career.

The Avalanche want him back, that’s a no-brainer. The only question is whether Sakic wants to come back.

I certainly hope so. He’s one of the classiest NHL players I have ever been around in my time around the game. It’s easy to show class when times are good, but what set Sakic apart is that he exhibited it all the time. I’m too young to have been around Jean Beliveau, but I think I have an idea what it’s like to be around a player that’s so well respected.

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This Could Be It For Sakic

by Paul on 05/01/08 at 08:14 AM
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from Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post,

Although Sakic feels blessed to have spent 19 NHL seasons with a single organization and won loyal admiration from Quebec City to Denver, his decision to stay or go must ultimately be made alone, after input and heartfelt support from family and team.

Nevertheless, every cheering, banner-waving fan in the Avalanche’s home arena must realize we are guaranteed no more than one more chance to tell Sakic what Denver thinks about a man who has done this city and his sport so very proud.

Don’t go, Joe.

If that’s the way you feel, do not hesitate to tell him so.

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Goodbye Joe?

by Paul on 04/09/08 at 07:56 AM
Comments (1)

from Terry Frei of the Denver Post,

Could this be Joe Sakic’s last postseason before retirement?

Could this playoff run — however long it lasts — be the last Avalanche fans see of him in a Colorado uniform before he stands at a podium, likely wipes away a tear or two, and says it was fun while it lasted?

Sakic has always had that knack of avoiding crushing contact — not running from it, but minimizing it with deft and instinctive maneuvering. That’s one of the secrets of his longevity, resilience and long-term effectiveness.

He has the same sense of anticipation for oncoming questions.

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Welcome Back Joe

by Paul on 02/24/08 at 04:54 PM
Comments (1)

from the Colorado Avalanche,

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has activated forward Joe Sakic from the Injured Reserve list. He will be available to play in tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

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“You Can’t Believe It Happened”

by Paul on 02/06/08 at 09:24 AM
Comments (0)

I missed this story from February 1st…

from Roy MacGregor of the Globe and Mail,

They learned all about death here in Swift Current 21 years ago when the bus carrying the local heroes, the Broncos of the Western Hockey League, caught black ice and whipping wind in the wrong combination coming out of that very first curve, flew off the Trans-Canada and crashed, leaving four young hockey players lifeless.

And they learned it again 21 days ago when, four provinces and two time zones away, a van carrying the Phantoms, a high-school basketball team from Bathurst, N.B., slid in bad weather into a transport trailer, killing seven players and the coach’s wife.

“It hit home, that’s for sure,” says Joe Sakic, the Broncos star who survived that long-ago crash and went on to a spectacular career with the Quebec Nordiques and the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League.

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A Look At Sakic

by Paul on 02/06/08 at 08:55 AM
Comments (0)

from Adrian Dater of the Denver Post,

It’s possible we could soon witness the final month or two of Sakic’s marvelous career. He’s still rehabbing a serious injury, one that has made skating impossible for weeks now, and he’ll be 39 in five months. There are some around the longtime captain who hint this could be it if his body doesn’t respond.

If that is the case, just in case, get your tickets now for the Avs’ final home games. If this season is the end for Sakic, it’ll probably be a long time before we see someone of his kind again.

But if I were a betting man, I’d say we’ll see more of No. 19 beyond this year. Don’t forget: The next Winter Olympics are in his hometown of Vancouver, and Sakic would dearly love to play on one last Canadian team in front of friends and family.

more on Sakic…

No “Panic” Trade For Avs

by Paul on 12/29/07 at 09:10 AM
Comments (1)

from Pierre LeBrun of Sportsnet,

A panic trade is not in the cards for the Colorado Avalanche after losing veteran star centre Joe Sakic for eight-to-12 weeks following his hernia surgery.

“Anytime you lose a good player it’s a blow but every team goes through that,” Avalanche GM Francois Giguere told Sportsnet.ca on Friday. `"You never expect to go through an entire season without losing good players to injury. This gives other players on our team a chance to step up and show what they can do.

“So as far as making a move from the outside (a trade), we’re always looking to improve our team. But this is going to be a good chance for our youngers players to show what they have.”

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Surgery For Sakic

by Paul on 12/27/07 at 08:31 PM
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via the Colorado Avalanche,

Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that Joe Sakic will undergo hernia surgery. He will be sidelined approximately eight to 12 weeks.

“Joe’s rehabilitation has not progressed as anticipated and upon further evaluation the decision has been made to perform surgery in order for him to fully recover,” said Avalanche Team Physician Andy Parker. 

“After consulting with the doctors we believe this procedure will enable me to return to the lineup,” added the Avalanche captain.

added 8:38pm, link now available at the Avs website…

Sakic Nearing a Milestone

by Alanah on 11/09/07 at 07:53 PM
Comments (0)

From Jim Morris at the CP (via Yahoo)

But won’t it be special to become only the 11th player in league history to reach 1,000 assists?

“We’ll see when we get there I guess,” Sakic said after a pause. “Not that many players have gotten to that. It would be a tremendous honour, obviously. I haven’t thought too much about it.”

From some players the false modestly would sound contrived. But from Sakic the words sound as honest as the work ethic he delivers each night.

more... about Sakic and the team

Home Sweet Home in Denver

by Alanah on 10/29/07 at 12:45 PM
Comments (0)

From Mike Chambers at the Denver Post,

Joe Sakic, the only remaining player to have competed for the Avalanche franchise when it was in Quebec, was a Nordique the last time the franchise began 5-0 at home.

That would be 13 years ago, and that’s where the Avs stand after riding Sakic’s two assists and Peter Budaj’s 21 saves in a 3-1 victory Sunday over the Minnesota Wild at the Pepsi Center.

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Buccigross Ponders

by Alanah on 10/16/07 at 12:41 PM
Comments (0)

John Buccigross at ESPN ponders 10 stories from the past week:

4. It’s just a fantasy, it’s not the real thing
Good exchange between Joe Sakic and The Denver Post’s Adrian Dater:

Question from Dater: Do you ever hear from fantasy hockey team owners with stuff like, “You cost me a win last week” or “You won me 300 bucks”?

Answer from Sakic: Yeah, you hear from ‘em. I actually have one friend who traded me last year. He told me, too. He was like, “Sorry, had to trade you, bud.”

more... highlighted stories from Buccigross

Joe Sakic Feeds the Hungry

by Alanah on 10/16/07 at 11:58 AM
Comments (1)

From Adrian Dater at the Denver Post

Joe Sakic has helped give Coloradans two Stanley Cups since 1996. More important, however, Sakic and his wife, Debbie, have helped serve 8,581,248 meals to hungry people in the state since 1998.  That is the exact number, according to Food Bank of the Rockies official Kristina Cordova, with the promise of many more to come.

For that and many other reasons, Sakic on Monday was given the ninth annual NHL Foundation Player Award, for recognition of his commitment and service to charities in his community.  In recognition, the NHL will present a $25,000 check tonight, before the Avalanche’s game with the Calgary Flames at the Pepsi Center, to the pediatrics oncology unit at Children’s Hospital.

“Joe is probably the most sincere person I’ve ever met in my life,” Cordova said. “He’s very involved with us. He’s always asking about ways to do more. He’s always saying, ‘We’ve got to do it for the kids.’ He and Debbie have just done so much for this community. People don’t know.”

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Smyth & Sakic Have Fun Together

by Paul on 09/14/07 at 06:06 PM
Comments (0)

from Pierre Lebrun of the CP via Yahoo,

“A dream come true - playing with a future Hall of Famer and also Andrew Brunette,” Smyth told The Canadian Press from Denver. “They threw us right together from the get-go.”

“I played with him a bit on Team Canada so I know him a little bit,” Sakic said Friday. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. Right off the bat they’re trying to set the lines and get that chemistry going to get off to a good start.”

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