Avalanche’s Sakic set to retire
DENVER — Joe Sakic, the Colorado Avalanche’s longtime captain who led the team to two Stanley Cup titles, is retiring after a 20-year NHL career, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Sakic, a 13-time All-Star, is expected to formally announce his decision to retire on Thursday at a news conference.
Sakic, who turned 40 on Tuesday, has been the face of the franchise since the team relocated to Denver from Quebec in 1995. He teamed with Patrick Roy, Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote to capture the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001.
It’s been a storied career for Sakic, who has won championships and league MVP honors, and led Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2002.
But injuries over the last two years began to mount, curtailing his play-
ing time. He missed most of the 2008-09 season because of an aching back that required surgery to repair a herniated disk. He also damaged three fingers on his left hand in a snowblower accident.
Known for his laser wrist shot and precision passing, Sakic will retire with his name among the NHL’s career scoring leaders. He is eighth in points (1,641), 11th in assists (1,016) and 14th in goals (625).
The pride of Burnaby, British Columbia, Sakic said just before the end of the season that he was hoping to be healthy enough to possibly join Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
It’s unclear whether he will play. However, Steve Yzerman, Canada’s executive director, recently extended Sakic an invitation to orientation camp next month.
Sakic will leave as the franchise’s leader in almost every offensive category. He skated in 1,378 regular-season games, and another 172 in the postseason.
Meanwhile, Williamsville native Todd Marchant will be returning to the Anaheim Ducks. The unrestricted free agent center signed a two-year deal Tuesday that goes through the 2010-11 season.
Marchant, who turns 36 in August, had five goals and 13 assists in 72 games last season, his fourth with Anaheim. He had one goal and one assist while playing in all 14 of the Ducks’ playoff games.
“His versatility on the ice and presence in the locker room is something this club has deeply valued over the past four seasons,” general manager Bob Murray said.
In other NHL news:
• Alex Kovalev’s disappointment in leaving the Montreal Canadiens is balanced by the belief he can be a missing piece in helping the Ottawa Senators rebound from bad times.
The 36-year-old right winger spoke on a conference call from his native Russia on Tuesday, one day after he left the Canadiens to sign a two-year, $10-million deal with the Senators.
Kovalev expressed gratitude to fans in Montreal and tried to clear up misconceptions about his perceived image as a selfish, uncaring player.
“I’ve been saying many times, I don’t know where that comes from,” said Kovalev, who has played 16 NHL seasons. “Maybe when coaches say something to me and I don’t answer back, they think I don’t care.”
• Chris Pronger and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to a multiyear extension on Tuesday, ensuring that the 2000 NHL MVP will remain under contract beyond this season. The Flyers acquired the star defenseman in a blockbuster, draft-day trade with the Anaheim Ducks last month.
• Toronto has nabbed coveted Swedish free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson with a one-year contract on Tuesday. The 24-year-old netminder, nicknamed “The Monster,” was also heavily pursued by Dallas, San Jose and Colorado. Gustavsson played for Farjestads in the Swedish Elite League last season, registering four shutouts with a league-leading 1.96 goals-against average.
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