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CALGARY — There are many ways to examine Joe Sakic's decision to return to the Colorado Avalanche for his 20th NHL season, but let's consider it purely in terms of dollars, even if Sakic didn't.
At this stage of his career, if the 39-year-old Sakic were prepared test the open market, you can be pretty sure that his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks, would have diverted that $20-million (all currency U.S.) they'd earmarked for Mats Sundin and graciously directed it toward Burnaby Joe.
But Sakic's delay was never about squeezing every last dollar out of his employer. This is the third year in a row he's signed a one-year deal, largely as a favour to the Avalanche. Under terms of the collective labour agreement, once a player passes the age of 35, multiyear contracts become problematic because they count fully against the salary cap, whether a player elects to play them out or not.
No, the uncertainty surrounding Sakic's return revolved around his health and desire, not the $6-million he ultimately agreed to play for on a one-year term (31 of his peers will earn more this season).
Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic jokes with reporters during a news conference at which the hockey club announced that Sakic signed a one-year deal for the 2007-08 season. Sakic signed another one-year term Wednesday. (David Zalubowski/AP)
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Sakic was limited to 44 games last season because of a midseason sports hernia operation and scored just 40 points, the smallest total of a career that began back with the 1988-89 Quebec Nordiques. Sakic did rebound with 10 points in 10 playoff games, as Colorado upset the Minnesota Wild in the opening playoff round before getting bumped off by the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference semi-finals.
The Avalanche scheduled a news conference for next Tuesday in which both Sakic and general manager François Gigučre will address the signing, although it's hard to imagine that Sakic won't be coaxed into sharing his thoughts today, when he holds a news conference in Denver in conjunction with his annual charity golf tournament.
However, Sakic gave an insight into his thinking, saying in a prepared statement: "Ultimately it came down to the fact that I still enjoy playing and competing. 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."
Sakic is the NHL's current active points-scoring leader and fills what otherwise would have been a significant void at centre on an Avalanche team that will have a different look this coming season.
Sakic's long-time teammate Peter Forsberg is still in limbo and will return only if his enduring foot problems are under control.
He is skating and if he comes back, chances are he'll opt to play for the Avalanche as well.
Colorado lost its starting goaltender, Jose Theodore, as a free agent, leaving the netminding in the hands of Peter Budaj and newcomer Andrew Raycroft, the former Toronto Maple Leaf.
Tony Granato replaces Joel Quenneville behind the bench, returning for his second stint as the team's head coach.
The defence is solid after Adam Foote signed a contract extension, and with the emerging young star Paul Stastny combining along with Sakic to create a nice 1-2 punch down the middle, the Avalanche should be competitive in the usually tight Northwest Division, which was separated by only 10 points from top to bottom last season. Toronto signed away Avalanche defenceman Jeff Finger as an unrestricted free agent, and Colorado countered by inking Darcy Tucker to a contract. If Tucker gets a chance to play with Sakic (and with Andrew Brunette moving on, that's a possibility), who knows how much the move might revitalize his career?
Gigučre, in announcing Sakic's return, said: "Our entire organization is very excited to have Joe back for another season. As the only captain of the Avalanche, his record of achievement speaks for itself. Having him return is great for our franchise and community, but also for the game of hockey."
Gigučre's last point is difficult to dispute. Sakic is one of the class acts in the history of the NHL. He was Canada's top forward in the country's gold-medal-winning performance at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics in 2002. If he has another good year and decides to play again next season, there is a chance he could be appointed as the captain of the men's Olympic team for 2010 and get a chance to wear Canada's colours in his hometown of Vancouver.
One of the greatest clutch players of his generation, Sakic is the career leader in playoff overtime goals, with eight. The numbers tend to blur with players of his stature, but his 1,629 career points in 1,363 games leaves him eighth on the career scoring list, needing 94 to catch Mario Lemieux for seventh place. He is one of only 11 players in history with 1,000 career assists (1,006) and could leapfrog Lemieux, Marcel Dionne, Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman with a 58-assist performance in the coming season. He has won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP and was also the MVP of the Salt Lake Olympics. With the Hall Of Fame will be waiting for him once he retires, the only thing yesterday's decision does is postpone his induction ceremony by a year, maybe more. Most will agree that's a worthwhile trade-off for another year of Sakic's quiet excellence.
