DENVER-
There were plenty of splashy offers, just none that first-year Colorado Avalanche general manager Fracois Giguere was willing to seriously consider.
So at the end of the trading deadline Tuesday, the Avalanche made just two minor deals—acquiring minor league goalie Michael Wall from Anaheim for forward Brad May, and Scott Parker from San Jose for a sixth-round pick in the 2008 NHL draft.
Teams inquired about Colorado’s young stars, like Paul Stastny and Wojtek Wolski, and the face of the franchise, Joe Sakic.
But they were off limits.
“There was no doubt in my mind that our core young players needed to stay with us for now,” Giguere said Tuesday night. “They were going to be a part of us getting back to the team that we deserve to be.”
Giguere couldn’t imagine Sakic in a different sweater.
“In my mind, Joe is here to stay,” said Giguere, who hopes to sit down with Sakic at an appropriate time to discuss another deal. Sakic is playing under a one-year deal. “I never entertained the thought of Joe wearing any other uniform.”
Giguere wouldn’t comment on whether any teams made him an offer for goalie Jose Theodore, who’s backing up Peter Budaj despite a high-priced contract.
“I don’t want to start speculating on interest in any individual players. He (Theodore) is still a member of our team,” Giguere said.
Wall, 21, has played most of the season with Portland of the American Hockey League, posting a 10-6-1 record with a 3.13 goals-against average. He’ll be sent to the Avalanche’s Central Hockey League team, the Arizona Sundogs.
Giguere said the acquisition of Wall doesn’t have a bearing on the status of Theodore next season.
“It has nothing to do with that,” he said. “We (have) three goalies that are signed.”
May has missed 53 games this season after shoulder surgery on Sept. 28. He was injured in a preseason game against Detroit and then played in 10 contests for Colorado, notching three assists.
With the loss of May, the Avalanche went after another player just like him in Parker.
“Once Brad May was gone, one element you lose (is) the element of toughness,” Giguere said. “I wanted to find a way to add toughness.”
Parker played for Colorado when the team won the Stanley Cup in 2001. He was traded by Colorado to the Sharks in June 2003 for a fifth-round draft pick. Parker played in only 11 games this season for San Jose due to ankle and back injuries.
“He had Avalanche on his heart and wanted to come back,” Giguere said. “I thought it was a great fit.”
Giguere made the deals because he believes the team can still contend this season. The team is currently in 10th place in the Western Conference.
“I wanted to send a message to our team,” he said. “Our guys have not quit. I wanted to show that I was in the same frame of mind that they were.”
The Avalanche players definitely are holding out hope. The team has made the playoffs every season since moving to Denver in 1995.
“It looks bleak. But there’s still a chance,” Andrew Brunette said.
Colorado also announced Tuesday that defenseman Karlis Skrastins will be out for up to 10 days with a sprained knee. The Avalanche recalled defenseman Kyle Cumiskey from AHL Albany to take Skrastins’ place.
Skrastins’s streak of 495 consecutive games ended when he couldn’t play Sunday night against Anaheim. It was the longest run by a defenseman in NHL history.
Skrastins injured the knee the night before in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
“We’ll miss him certainly,” Colorado coach Joel Quenneville said. “You’ve got to commend him on an outstanding streak and how competitive he is.”
