While gathering Avalanche-related links for tomorrow's Avalanche Weekly article, I found an article that has shown me the light. All this time, we thought there were no more available free agents, but a sharp-eyed fan from Ottawa has found one.
It is anyone's guess why, but I guess class acts like "Captain Canada" don't interest GM's around the league these days.
Yeah, I wonder why no one is trying to sign Joe. I mean, he's still kind of good, right?
To be honest though, few people are actually aware that he's a free agent, including this writer who only found out a few weeks ago.
Ah, that's why. I wonder if our GM even knows if he's a free agent? I bet he doesn't. Someone should definitely give him a ring. And why do we want Joe Sakic? Well, turns out...
This past year, his twentieth or so with the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise, he recorded his record setting 16th career Game-Winning-Goal in the playoffs. What does this mean? Essentially, he's now won two of his Stanley Cups' single-handedly.
I'm not sure I have the heart to break it to a "hockey purist" like yourself, Sean, but those goofy NHL suits recently changed the rules. That's right, it now takes 16 wins to win ONE Cup. Egads! Perhaps this is why the Senators haven't been able to win one - they're still playing under the old rules!
In today's NHL there's plenty of room for a guy like Joe in any team's locker room. He's the perpetual leader: he does it by example and he does it better then anyone else except maybe Mark Messier.
I just included the Messier thing for Dario's benefit.
In short, I completely agree with Sean. NHL GM's really do need to get off their butts and do something constructive. I can't believe a guy like Sakic has slipped through the cracks like this. How embarrassing.