The Avalanche re-signed its longtime captain, Joe Sakic, to a one-year contract, the team announced this morning.
Sakic, the Avalanche’s all-time leading scorer and a member of the organization since 1988, signed a one-year, $5.75 million contract.
“This organization’s success has been due in large part to Joe Sakic, both as a leader and as a premiere player in this league,” Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said in a team release.
“Keeping him in an Avalanche uniform was definitely a priority. He still possesses the skills and abilities that have made him so successful for so many years. Like in 2001, he had a chance to become an unrestricted free agent, but chose otherwise,” Giguere said.
Sakic re-upping with the Avalanche puts the team’s payroll at close to $25 million. The NHL’s salary cap will rise from $39 million to around $44 million next season, leaving the Avs nearly $20 million left to sign other players. Rob Blake, Alex Tanguay, Marek Svatos and Karlis Skrastins are among the players the Avs are likely to attempt to sign.
Sakic will turn 37 next month. He has said he wants to finish his career with the Avalanche, and possibly play until 40, which would give him a chance to play for Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics, in his home town of Vancouver, British Columbia.
“I’ve been fortunate to play for a great organization surrounded by good teammates for many years in a great hockey market,” Sakic said in the release. “My family is very much at home here, so it was important for me to remain in Colorado.”
Sakic will enter his 18th NHL season, ranked 11th on the all-time list in points (1489); 15th in assists (915) and 17th in goals (574).
