Why stop there?

The city of Denver renamed 19th street to Joe Sakic Way, for the next 19 days. Cute but why stop there?

Make it permanent, Denver. Joe deserves it.

Joe Sakic Jersey Retirement Ceremony; Live on NHL.tv

We're less than an hour away from Joe Sakic's jersey retirement and doesn't it just feel so...mop? (Sorry, Scrubs reference)

I'm not really sad though, to be honest. I've come to terms with Sakic not being on the ice for the Avalanche ever again. But I'm excited to see how they honor what is undoubtedly one of the legends of the game. Will there be a long video montage? Will Ray Bourque make a surprise appearance? What will his former teammates say about him (if anything)?

That being said, it could just be me trying to "be a guy" about the situation. Once the ceremony starts, I could go fetal. And that's what is so exciting about it!

Online Viewing
The ceremony will be picked up live on NHL.tv which I think is a smart move on their part. Everybody will want to see this, Avs fan or not and with the back-to-back games on Versus, it's unlikely the feed would switch over before the previous game is done. So thank you, NHL, for realizing what the Internet is meant to do.

Online Archive
The video is now up at avalanche.nhl.tv. I've embedded it below for your viewing pleasure.

Frack

He's retiring.

Joe Sakic to Announce Decision on Thursday

Joe Sakic will announce his decision this Thursday at 1:00pm MT.

I still believe.

The Rebuild Begins

It was the trade heard 'round the world. The Ryan Smythtrade signaled the end of an era for the Avalanche. An era that included greatness, dominance and glory coupled with a steep fall from grace which included shame, ridicule and frustration.

Now, it's time for Paul Stastny. Time for Chris Stewart. Time for T.J. Galiardi. Time for Matt Duchene. Time for Kevin Shattenkirk. Not all this year of course, but these players will be the new face of the Avalanche.

But was it time to let Ian Laperriere walk after offering him less than he deserved? Was it time to trade Ryan Smyth for Kyle Quincey + two bags of pucks? Was it time to keep Darcy Tucker knowing they would be shedding salary so would have the cap space to eat his buyout. No.

And if it turns out Sakic told Sherman "I'm retiring" and he still got rid of Smyth, then heaven help the man because I think he might get beat down by a crazed fan.*

So prepare yourselfs, Avs fans because it's going to be a rough couple years in terms of standings. But the joy of watching these young kids grow and cheering them on is untouchable. New leaders will emerge, new stars will blossom, and the organization will have a new identity when all is said and done. And I (have to) believe that identity will be a good one.

But I've got concerns with Stan Kroenke's ownership recently. A rebuild is one thing, but cutting costs is another. And the cost-cutting isn't coming just in the player salary department, but throughout the organization. I'm a penny-pincher by nature but you can't let that blind you to your surroundings.

It appears Kroenke is being blinded and possibly distracted by his many other sporting endeavors. Given that he's pouring more money into Arsenal, the cost cutting can't be due to tanking Wal-Mart shares or real estate holdings. Something else is behind his apparent disregard for the Avs and it is concerning.

This rebuild could be spectacular. But it could be hamstrung by an owner not willing to open his pockets for his former favorite child while still expecting fans to open theirs. A rebuild is mutual, as is the partnership between a team and its fans.

Let's hope we can work this out together.

*I'm not implying I would do it. This was not a threat. Please stay away from me, FBI. I'm also not saying I wouldn't do it...

Do the Avalanche have room for Super Joe?

The Avalanche are likely done with the free agent signings after nabbing Craig Anderson (good stuff) and David Koci (WTF?) on the first day. And since I believe Joe Sakic is coming back, we should take a look to see how much cap space is left for his contract.

I've put together a quick Google spreadsheet which includes a couple projections to fill out the Avs 2009/2010 roster. I've got T.J. Galiardi making the team while Ryan Stoa and Matt Duchene do not. I also put in some projected numbers for David Jones and Kyle Cumiskey, who both received qualifying offers but no contract has been signed. I believe both will re-sign and neither should be getting any large increase in salary, but I did give them a modest bump because I'm nice that way. And finally, I brought back Daniel Tjarnqvist as a 7th defenceman, but you can slot in any serviceable name in that 7th-D slot.



With all the dust settled, there is enough space to give Sakic a $5M contract. I went conservative and gave him a $4.5M contract, leaving some flex in cap space. Of course, this is complete conjecture on whether Sakic would take "just" $4.5M for what would undoubtedly be his final season. And it's still conjecture on my part that he's coming back but let's not ruin the entire point of this post.

Would it be disappointing for Matt Duchene to not get a chance to skate with his idol, Joe Sakic? Absolutely, but I'd be willing to bet that even if he doesn't prove NHL-ready during the development and/or training camps, he'll stick around for at least one game to start the season so he can say he skated with Joe.

There's also plenty of time for Greg Sherman to work on unloading a bloated contract or two to some sucker GM out there - maybe Burke would take Darcy Tucker? - to open up more space for youth. Of course, the odds of that happening are slim to none but one can hope, right?

If you notice a mistake in the spreadsheet or think I'm flat-out wrong, feel free to either comment below or open up the spreadsheet and make a change.

Sakic Has Made Up His Mind - (I Think) He's Coming Back

Our intrepid reporter, Adrian Dater, was on the beat in Montreal and got a hold of this gem from GM Greg Sherman: Joe Sakic has made up his mind. But before anyone is told that decision, Sakic is going on vacation.

All I'm going to say is this...you don't go on vacation before you retire. You go on vacation after you retire.

Glad to have you back, Super Joe.

Draft Day is Upon Us

Draft day is upon us and it would appear I've been in hibernation for the past two weeks. Well, I have reasons and they're work related - not in a bad way, in a very, very good way - but I won't bore you with that. What I will bore you with is some thoughts on the upcoming draft.

There has been a lot of controversy, so to speak, around what order the top three - John Tavares, Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene - will be selected in. But the smart money should still be on Tavares going first, followed by Hedman and then Duchene. The Islanders would be crazy not to take Tavares, the lightning need defence so bad it's tearing the owners apart and the Avalanche need to replace Joe Sakic, who has been silent as a monk since the season ended.

If the Avalanche are forced to take Tavares or Hedman, there will certainly be no tears shed, but I've got my hopes riding high on Duchene. Possibly unreasonably high, but can you blame me based on the last couple seasons? I'd grasp at anything right now to feel good about this franchise.

Heck, I started falling in love with the guy during the OHL playoffs and when Greg Wyshynski noted that Duchene was wearing a short-sleeve dress shirt + tie combo, the man crush was in full effect. Then Chris Pope fired me an email with a link to an interview he had with Duchene and damned if I wasn't ready to propose right then and there.

When the draft goes down tomorrow, I may not be able to be part of the breaking news. At noon tomorrow, we will be shutting down our office and shifting about ten blocks southwest to some swanky new digs. I will also be working on rolling out some internal system changes to coincide with the shrink wrap completely coming off on Monday morning.

I'm disappointed I won't be able to sit on my duff with my new netbook on my lap, but this move was a long time coming. It will just add to me elation tomorrow when the Avs snag Duchene. So if you don't hear from me, don't worry. I'm around and I'm happy. And I promise, I've got some thoughts I need to get out so you'll be hearing them soon.

Ah, the rallying cry of bloggers everywhere.

Roy Out, Sakic Too?

By now, I'm sure you're all aware that Patrick Roy confirmed Pierre Lacroix's head coaching job offer by turning it down. It was a hail mary pass that was not caught and one has to wonder why Lacroix tossed it so early.

One other fact we all know, which this sideshow distracted us from, is that Joe Sakic is once again on the brink of retirement. He won't announce his intentions to the public until after the Stanley Cup has been awarded, but has he already told Lacroix?

Because if Lacroix knows Joe is going to retire, he knows the franchise face is gone. And if the franchise face is gone, myriad questions pop up including "How are we going to sell season tickets?"

Cue St. Patrick.

But he didn't answer the call.

Avalanche Thump Canucks, Win 4-1

I gotta tell you, that felt good. No, it didn't help the Tank it 4 Tavares standings, but I was getting sick and bloody tired of watching this team lose.

So with four rookie defensemen and a rookie centering the top line, the Colorado Avalanche took down the Vancouver Canucks and dealt a blow to the Canucks race for the Northwest crown.

I cheered like hell on every goal and ran around the room giving high fives when the buzzer sounded. Which is a bit weird since nobody else was in the room at the time. If my neighbours didn't know better, they'd have thought the Avs were having a good season and had just secured a playoff berth.

Sigh.

Random thoughts
T.J. Galiardi now has three goals in seven games - all coming against Vancouver - and is building up my expectations for next season.

Wojtek Wolski made his return after battling the flu. Apparently the team was worried it could be mono. Or possibly a broken leg.

I like Ryan Kesler's style but I didn't like him moving in on Ian Laperriere without reciprocating on taking off his helmet as Lappy did. But on the other hand, I can see why some guys are a bit reluctant to lose their lid these days. I'm torn on the fighting issue and during the offseason, I might put my thoughts to bits and explain why I'm so torn.

Milan Hejduk scored to overtake Ryan Smyth for the Avs goal scoring "race". It might not be the Avs finest year but Hejduk has been a consistent performer for this team and I'm glad he's leaning towards coming back.

How disappointed was everyone that Peter Budaj just missed the goose egg? Once the first period was over, I thought to myself "Budaj's got a shot at a shutout tonight." But alas, it wasn't to be.

Upcoming Schedule
The Avalanche play the Sharks tomorrow night and I don't expect anything near the same result. Brace yourselves, this one may get ugly.

Then it's back home for the final three games of the season. And as you may recall, I will be in Denver for all three.

I'll be checking out one game with with my girl and then I'll be taking in the final game with Mr. Jay Vean of the Avs Hockey Podcast.

I've still got my fingers crossed that Joe Sakic will suit up for Sunday's game but even if he doesn't, I'm still somewhat comforted that it will be Lappy's 1000th NHL game. So either way, it should be a historic night.

Related Links
Sakic Eyes Olympic Gold

Sakic to Talk After Morning Skate

Good grief, AD, you had me sweating for a second. The use of quotes around "update" in your headline had me thinking you had inside info on some bad news.

I wouldn't expect Sakic to hang 'em up just like that but fans are rightfully a little on edge these days. Hell, Jibbles is having an out-of-body experience this morning (yes, I know)

I would expect the press conference to be fairly standard. The words "progressing well" will be used. Someone will ask if this is his last season. Someone will ask if he's anxious to get back on the ice. Someone will make a crack about a snowblower and a rabbi.

It should be standard fare. I hope.

He's Back!...Almost

After taking to the ice before practice a couple times, Joe Sakic has rejoined the team during practices albeit with a no-contact jersey.

While there's no timetable set, I think practicing at this point would indicate he should be available for the final week of the season.

Related Links
Avalanche hoping for Stastny's return

T.J. Galiardi Called Up; Joe Sakic Skates Before Practice

With Paul Stastny out due to another shot-blocking injury, the Avalanche have recalled T.J. Galiardi as they work diligently to complete the transformation to the Colorado Monsters.

I'm quite excited to see what Galiardi can do. So excited that I've cancelled my weekly trip to Vegas just to watch the game tonight. Ok, that would be plain silly if I did that but nonetheless, I'll be watching with intrigue.

Galiardi spent a year with Dartmouth before moving up to the WHL, amassing 70 points in 72 games with the Calgary Hitmen during the regular season. Then the playoffs began and Galiardi stepped it up, tallying 24 points in 16 games - though only notching five goals - to lead all playoff scorers as the Hitmen bowed out in the Eastern Conference finals.

And then it was off to Lake Erie where his play hasn't been quite as spectacular. I have yet to watch a Monsters game, but scoring doesn't seem to be their strong suit. So it's a bit early to start judging the heights to which Galiardi might climb with the big boys.

Oh, and in an unrelated, inconsequential tidbit, Joe Sakic skated this morning before the team practiced.

Related Links
The T.J. Galiardi Era begins - geez, AD, lay off the hype-pipe ;)
T.J. Galiardi Profile on Hockeys Future
Galiardi's Turn
Galiardi Recalled
Avs Sakic back on ice

Joe Sakic Undergoes Back Surgery

Oh dear.

Joe Sakic just underwent successful back surgery for his herniated disc and will take 10 weeks to recover.

Those weeks include the time he was already out after his hand surgery so his timeline for return hasn't changed.

Will these injuries knock out Super Joe before he's mentally ready to retire?

I'm still holding out hope that Joe goes for one more year.

But I'm planning a trip to Denver towards the end of the season just in case.

Avalanche vs Red Wings, Game Preview

The holiday season has come and gone.

The presents are unwrapped. The chocolates have been eaten. The turkey has been stuffed and devoured.

But one thing hasn't changed.

Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny will be absent from the Avalanche lineup for the foreseeable future.

One man's loss is another man's gain
Oh, one more thing has changed.

Tyler Arnason is the new #1 center.

If that doesn't strike fear into the hearts and minds of Avalanche opponents, I don't know what will.

Did I say opponents? Sorry, I meant fans.

I didn't get much for Christmas. I didn't ask for much either. I must have suspected I would need a more important gift.

And now I want to cash it in.

Santa, if you're still around please help Tyler Arnason rise to the occasion and make us all not unproud.

Hensick also slides up
Along with the Arnason promotion, T.J. Hensick has moved up from a fourth-line winger position to become the second-line center.

Based on practice reports, he will center a line with David Jones and Wojtek Wolski.

Svatos and Salei slide back in
Marek Svatos and Ruslan Salei will make their returns tonight.

Svatos really needs to step up and provide some offensive support. It will be tough sledding as he will likely find himself on the third line tonight but he needs to find a way to get it done.

Third line pickle
Cody McCormick sat last game and may sit again while the Avs give Chris Stewart more time to showcase his skills.

If Stewart stays in he would likely play on a line with Ian Laperriere and the returning Marek Svatos which would leave Darcy Tucker on the fourth line with Ben Guite and Cody Mcleod.

If Stewart draws out, Granato would likely renew the McLappy line leaving a Tucker and Svatos to play on a line centered by Guite.

So no matter how you dice it, the third line will be quite the interesting mix.

UPDATE: AD informs us that McCormick is out.

Budaj back in net
Peter Budaj gets the start in goal and will presumably go up against Ty Conklin as Chris Osgood is still recovering from a busted vagina.

Lidstrom possibly out
Nik Lidstrom took a puck to the ankle last night and will be a gametime decision tonight.

The sweats have already started over there.

The Avs will need every advantage they can get tonight so pray to Vishnu that Lidstrom's foot is swollen bigger than [go ahead and finish this one off in your head while I keep things PG-13 ;)]

UPDATE: AD informs us that Nik Lidstrom is out for tonight's game.

Game time
The puck drops at 9:00 ET at the Pepsi Center. Denver natives, get down there and support your team!

Related Links
Avalanche report: Arnason, Hensick take center stage against Red Wings
Avs promote Arnason to first line with Sakic, Stastny out
Arnie the new #1 center
Scouting the Avs

Avalanche vs Blackhawks Game Preview

It has been a bitch of a week. I'm paying a mortgage + rent (long story), still can't get a decent sleep at night, had a ridiculous end to the work week, Joe Sakic nearly severed his fingers plus I still don't have my damn TV. Cable box but no TV. How messed up is that?

But do you know what could save it all? If the Avalanche could crush the Joel Quenneville-led Chicago Blackhawks tonight.

I don't want them to squeak out a win. I want them to annihilate the bastards. 6-0, 7-1, 8-3. Anything less than a 5-goal cushion just won't do it for me.

I want to see pain on the face of their players. I want to see rage in Quenneville's eyes. I want their fans to feel this loss for years to come. I want Wolski to undress Khabibulin the way Toews did Theodore.

I want a hug.

Lines
Marek Svatos is day-to-day with a back injury and will sit out this game. The Avs have called up Phillippe Dupuis from Lake Erie to fill the vacant roster spot.

With Darcy Tucker not at 100% yet, Dupuis could find himself in the lineup tonight which should be interesting. It's always fun to see someone play their first NHL game even if that player comes with no hype.

On defense, Adam Foote is back in the lineup and Daniel Tjarnqvist finds himself back in the press box. It's unfortunate as Tjarnqvist put in a decent relief effort while Foote was out.

Foote skated with John-Michael Liles during practice which would bump Ruslan Salei back over to a line with Jordan Leopold who was previously paired with Tjarnqvist. Man, that was a confusing sentence, wasn't it?

I'll re-word:
Foote-Liles
Clark-Hannan
Salei-Leopold

Goaltending
Quenneville is clinging to his "lose the right to play in goal" motto with an iron grip as he is starting Nikolai Khabibulin tonight.

Who cares if Cristobal Huet has won 3 of his last 4 starts. So what that he shut out Ottawa on Wednesday? Big deal that he seems to play better with more starts. What difference does it make that his confidence seems to be rising?

It's all about the competition. And healthy competition at that. right? They have to be scared to lose. They have to be afraid to make a mistake. They have to know that if they screw up, they're benched.

Because nothing inspires confidence and trust like making people scared to make a mistake.

For the Avs, Tony Granato will likely continue to ride Peter Budaj. I thought Budaj was going to tire out a bit but he appears to be going strong.

I just hope Granato and Budaj will be honest enough with each other to know when he does need a rest.

Game time
Puck drop is at 9:00 ET, 7:00 MT at the Pepsi Center.

Related Links

Avs unafraid of Sakic's absence

Tjarnqvist: Back on the pine

Avalanche report: Foote ready to return

Leading resurgent Chicago, Quenneville at peace with himself (Was he at war before? Because that could explain a lot)

Sakic Injures Hand with Snow Blower, Out 3 Months

It's just a comedy of errors for what is shaping up to possibly be Joe Sakic's final season in the NHL.

Sakic, already out with a herniated disc, injured his hand in a snow blowing incident which required surgery by a hand specialist.

He is projected to be out for three months while recovering.

My only positive thought out of all this is that maybe with all these injuries he will end up essentially having a year off and might decide to come back again next season.

Because we all know he wants to play for Canada in 2010. This might be "darkest before the dawn" part of that plan.

Avalanche @ Predators, Game 25 Preview

The Avalanche are in Nashville tonight to take on the Predators and my current mood is somber.

The Avalanche are on a two-game winning streak, have scored 10 goals in those two games and shut out the Predators the last time the two met. So why the sour face?

Well, Joe Sakic being sidelined for at least six more weeks doesn't help but it wasn't shocking news by any means.

I guess you could say I've just got "one of those feelings" about tonight. And I hope I'm wrong.

Starting Goaltenders
Peter Budaj will be in net for the Avs and will face down Pekka Rinne at the other end.

Apparently Rinne gets the start due to an informal rule the Preds have of giving a goaltender who earned a shutout - 2-0 over the Sabres Monday- the start in the next game.

Budaj earned a shutout last time the two met so really, can we expect anything less this game?

Scouting
Look out for Shea Weber who is currently a shoo-in for the Norris Trophy IMHO. He leads all defenders with 10 goals, 13 assists, has a +12 rating and plays just over 24 minutes per game.

Does anyone have another candidate who can beat that? And please don't say Dion Phaneuf. Weber has surpassed Phaneuf as a the premiere young defender in the league.

UPDATE: I was perusing other stats and noticed a huge difference between the two. Weber has 3 giveaways on the season. Phaneuf? 28. I don't regard RTSS stats as 100% accurate but that's a large enough difference that you can't attribute it to bias.

In good news, the Predators are cellar-dwellars (27th) on the PP so hopefully the Avalanche won't get shelled like they did against the Wild while down a man.

Injuries
Sakic, Adam Foote, Ben Guite and Darcy Tucker all remain out. That means the lines should remain as they were last game which is a good thing.

Steve Sullivan is the lone injury for the Preds as he remains out following back surgery.

Game time
The game starts at 8:00 ET, 6:00 MT.

Related Links
ColoradoAvalanche.com Game Preview

Joe Sakic out Six Weeks with Herniated Disc

Joe Sakic will be out for six weeks with a herniated disc and my first thought was: "At least now we know."

My second thought was: "Didn't that show up the first time?" 

I'm obviously not a doctor but it seems to me that this should have been spotted when he got his initial MRI done. 

It's unfortunate and likely extremely frustrating for Sakic as he is in the twilight of his career.

When he was on the ice this season, he was flying while he racked up 12 points in 15 games.

But his body might be starting to say "No mas"

Dude, where's my updates?

I've been a bit silent lately and not for any good reason. I was simply not enthused enough to write anything. Which works out well because the Avalanche have not been enthused enough to play hockey during that time.

The Avs downed the Blues 3-1 on Wednesday but it was still a less-than-stellar effort from the squad. The team is still playing with no spunk and are making Tony Granato's "run-and-gun" offense look like it's all out of bullets.

Phew. If that's not a lame joke, I don't know what is. Maybe the Avs offense? Boo-ya!

Game time
I'm going to play a game of good news, bad news, good news. See, you start with the good news which puts everyone in a good mood. Then you toss in some bad news while the people are on a bit of a high. Then, because people really only remember the last thing you say, you end with more good news.

Good News
Peter Budaj continues to redeem his slow start this season by being the only Avalanche player to consistently show up over the past dozen games.

It was widely believed by pundits that Budaj would be the downfall of the Avalanche this year. It turns out, he's been the bright spot while the rest of the team fizzles.

Color me skeptical on whether Budaj can continue this level of play for 70 games this season but I'll be more than happy if he does.

It appears keeping Jeff Hackett around was a smart move by the Avs organization.

Bad News
Joe Sakic played only 28 seconds against the Blues before leaving for the rest of the game. He won't be in the lineup tonight.

This is not a good sign.

The Avalanche have scored 19 goals in their last 12 games.

This is not a good sign.

Tony Granato felt the team played a heck of a game against the Coyotes and deserved a better fate.

This is not a good sign.

Good news
Ryan Smyth has started putting his ass in goaltenders faces and has two goals in his last two games.

You could see the relief on Smyth's face when he scored against the Blues. It was like the weight of the world came off his shoulders.

And all it took was to let him do his thing.

Who knew that would be a good strategy?

I'll be back this afternoon with a preview of the Lightning game. As a bit of a preview, I'm actually feeling optimistic about the game.