Sakic signs 1-year deal with Avalanche

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Patience paid off for the Colorado Avalanche, who signed Joe Sakic to a one-year, US$6-million contract Wednesday after he decided to play a 20th NHL season rather than call it a career.

"Ultimately it came down to the fact that I still enjoy playing and competing," the 39-year-old captain said in a statement released by the team. "I'm comfortable with my conditioning and my overall health. I'm ready for the start of camp and am looking forward to the upcoming season."

Because the Democratic National Convention is taking place this week at the Pepsi Center, the Avs' home, the team said it wouldn't hold a news conference until next week.

Sakic's teammates had started to fear he wasn't coming back, and the announcement was a relief.

"Everybody was starting to worry what Joe was going to do," forward Ian Laperriere said. "It's great news for more than one reason.

Source: TSN.ca

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1. Posted by Aaron h Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT
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glad to hear joe's back for another year.. it's amazing he puts up great numbers at his "advanced" age.. not even messier, stevie y or gretz can say the same for themselves. He's truely in a league of his own.
2. Posted by Jeff J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT
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one more go for joe
3. Posted by Kahuna Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT
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its a good thing he did come back, it would have really screwed over the Avs if he didnt with the extra salary room and no UFAs left and all.... but hes still playing better than most of the young guys, he just needs to stay healthy
4. Posted by butter Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:39 pm EDT
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he'll play another 3 years and pull the same routine for the next 2. Smart move in getting 18 million over 3.
5. Posted by the_unraveller Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:06 pm EDT
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Great that Sakic is back.. i'm from vancouver and i couldn't be happier. It would've been a shame for him to quit when he can plays as well as he did.
On the other hand, this rumour section is turning into a news section. Sakic signing with the aves is news, not a rumour. Recently there hasn't been rumours of any sort up here. Would be nice if Yahoo ppl can tighten this up.
6. Posted by David G Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT
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Hey #5, I know kind of how you feel that this is not really a rumor, but I think they do this kind of stuff just to give people a chance to comment on it. That what it seems like to me. I am an Avs fan, and I am so excited to see Super Joe back for at least one more year. Maybe the Avs can sign Sundin also...who knows.
7. Posted by David G Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT
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"Joe instructed me from the get-go to advise any team that inquired that he was either going to play for the Avs or retire," Baizley said. "That's what I did. Even in situations where the teams said, 'Is there even any point in us making an offer?' Joe said tell them no." that was the report from the Denver Post I think that shows just how much Joe love the city of Denver and the Avs organization .
8. Posted by SpoonyG Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT
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Sakic is a class act all the way and he'll get better numbers at 40 than most players in the NHL in their prime!
9. Posted by Skip-O-Matic Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT
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The Avs are likely relieved that Sakic didn't sign with Penske.
10. Posted by ljmiller1975 Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:54 pm EDT
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Sakic's lack of sportsmanship and team interest by waiting this long only hurt the Avs. By him NOT being able to decide and by him waiting THIS long to decide put the Avs behind the 8-ball with signing free agents or making some needed trades. Although Joe's a hell-of-a player, I've lost some respect for him. He should have made his decision at the END of the season and NOT just before the start of a new one.
11. Posted by c-ya Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT
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"Ultimately it came down to the fact that I still enjoy playing and competing," the 39-year-old captain said in a statement released by the team........ERRRRR RIGHT jOE....i AM SURE $6 MILLION BUCKS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR DECISION AS WELL...
What a bunch of crap....if the Av's offered less $$ would he of had the same comments and been back???
He is a classy guy but money was the main determination and not the fans
12. Posted by Panda God Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT
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@oh yeah baby:
Actually I'm pretty sure that it was just that he wanted to play. Sakic could have made a ton more money elsewhere, but made it clear that he did not want to. And 6 mil is a steal for a player of his calibur. Also he made more last year. I think this shows that he cares more about the organization (and fans) than anything else. They didn't offer that money to entice him back either, because if they'd have tried that, he would have just retired.
13. Posted by tacwingnut Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:54 pm EDT
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say goodbye sakic nice showing during last years playoffs and when you say goodbye after this year ,make sure your buddy peter has been is right there with you
14. Posted by Harvey M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT
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Sundin should call him and ask him how to be honest with himself. Sakic said, "I still wanted to compete." It makes it simple when you are honest.
15. Posted by Jack Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT
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#10
the avalanche knew they weren't going to come in this year and become a huge player in the offseason. that was told before. it's really unlike joe sakic to decide this late as well.. last season he signed the day after the offseason started for the avalanche. with the hernia that took away half of his season... it's obviously going to make him think more into it.
the avalanche had granted him that time, or else they wouldn't have waited for anything. after 19 seasons, clutch playoff play to lead him to one conn smythe and two stanley cups, he really deserves to have his time.
and don't you think he showed a lot of respect to colorado by saying to other teams that it's not even worth posting an offer for him?
16. Posted by mariangaborik10 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT
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6mil's a little much but hey he draws fans and sadly tha's half the buissness these days
Look at baseball in the 60a
The Yanks in 52 after Joe DiMaggio retired were willing to double his salary just for him t lay home gms or when he pleased and only ppinch hit because Joe D drew cowds
They offered the same to Ted Williams in 1961
17. Posted by c-ya Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT
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Hey NWH...then why is he taking the 6 million....heck if he cares so much for the fans, he should take a pay cut....he only played half a season last year...give back the $$ to the Av's so they can sign a couple of kids to skate circles around OLD Joe....
I still say the $$ was the draw.....what other team is going to pay him 6 mill? If he was not paid a dertain amount he would have retired and taken an office job not making 6 mill.
18. Posted by c-ya Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT
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What did I say that was so derogatory about Joe?....read my post on 12....if he is such a do good then why did it take 6 million to bring him back....it took him how many months to decide to come back or retire?? is he coming back to keep people like you happy, the loyal fan?? His decision hurt the av's in the free agent market.....great for Joe to donate $$ to the other causes....my point is if it was not so much about the money, he would have signed for less, due to his age and injuries, and heck give the $$ to the av's to sign and make a competitive team. I did not know this forum is only for people to post what a good guy he is and to kiss his a$$. He is an athlete that is playing hockey and hockey is a business.
19. Posted by Avs in 10 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT
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Yeah but "OLD" Joe as you put in your post implies hes not still an exceptional hockey player. Old means nothing when you can still put the biscuit in the basket with 6 seconds left in regulation and then turn around to score the game winning shootout goal. He loves to play, thats why he came back for a 20TH SEASON! You dont do something for 20 years if you dont like it, and im pretty confident he didnt NEED the money...hes rich. Its the love of the game, something you dont get if you never played.
20. Posted by c-ya Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT
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hey Sak, here is joe's stats from last season....
2007-08 COL 44 13 27 40 -4
played 44 games due to injury and scored 13 goals....yeah thats worth 6 million....Avs are going down hill...hopefully they sign forsberg again.
21. Posted by firewing Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:01 pm EDT
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so sakofnutz you are an avs fan huh, yea keep holding on to the hopes that sakic can make your team better. your avs will go down in flames again this season. swept last season out of the playoffs by the mighty REDWINGS. dont worry it wont happen againbecause the avs wont even make the playoffs this season. talk about a team on the outs, ha ha ha hell you still think there is a rivalry with the wings but we have passed you by. maybe in ten years or so the avs might be relevant again. it must be the high altitude that makes you delusional to think sakic can pull the avs out of the mire lol.
2008 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION REDWINGS
22. Posted by surfpucks Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:49 pm EDT
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Dude, you just posted why Joe is worth 6 mil. The stats speak for themselves. 44 games = 40 points. That is almost 1 point per game. If he would have played 82 games he would have 75 to 80 points. In the playoffs he did account for 1 point per game. That kind of point production per game played puts him in the top 25 forwards in the league for 2007-2008. Throw in his leadership and class on and off the ice and you bet that is worth 6 mill. The gamble is he is 40 years old.
Hockey is a business and the AVS got a steal for 6 mil. Sakic is as good as any of the free agents (restricted or unrestricted) that are available. A top 25 forward is worth a lot more and any other team that had salary room would have paid him more.
After signing Joe the AVS still have money left to sign some quality free agents. Let's just hope they don't waste it.
23. Posted by D-Vaughan Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT
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And who' s to say Sakic is the one who asked for $6 million? Maybe it was the Avs who said, "Alright, Joe, you want to come back...$6 million sound good to you?" The Avs aren't just paying Sakic for the type of player he is, though that's certainly part of it because point-per-game players don't grow on trees, but they're paying for the intangibles. He's been the face of the franchise for the past two decades, and is probably the best Denver athlete ever not named John Elway. As an Avs fan ever since they came to Colorado who is looking forward to Super Joe's 13th season in the Mile High City, I have to say Sakic is worth every penny that the Avs are paying him.
P.S. - Leave it to an overzealous Red Wings fan to interject on an Avs topic. We get it - the Wings are the champs, and very deserving ones at that, and the Avs aren't currently on the same level. But, can't we be happy that we get one more year to enjoy the best player the Avs have ever had and one of the best players the game has seen in the past quarter century? Big freakin' deal, a No. 1 seed sweeping a No. 6 in the second round of the playoffs. The Wings were supposed to win that series easily, and did. End of story.
24. Posted by Dee j Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT
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@ Firewing.......
Dont hurt your shoulder patting yourself on the back....... what did YOU do to win the cup this year huh?? A RedWing player wouldnt so much as spit on you if he saw you...... so take that back to your nest and chew on it.