Fresh off another 100-point season, and looking fresh in a blue blazer and summery shirt, Joe Sakic was asked Monday how much he had thought recently about retirement.
“None,” Sakic said.
The question was a bigger surprise than the answer. Why would Sakic want to quit now, when he is still good enough to finish in the top 10 in NHL scoring at age 37 – just as he did when he was nearly half that age?
Sakic wasted no time in re-upping for another tour of duty with the Avalanche, signing a one-year, $6.75 million contract. Not many players get raises at Sakic’s age, but the price – $1 million more than last season – probably is a bargain for the Avs.
“I felt it was important to get this done as quickly as possible,” Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said.
There was no point in Giguere tempting fate by letting Sakic go past July 1 as an unsigned player. Sakic could have been an unrestricted free agent on that date, but didn’t want to sign with a franchise other than the only one he has played for in 18 previous seasons.
“This is home for us, this is where I want to retire as a player,” said Sakic, who scored 100 points this season, becoming the second player, along with Gordie Howe, to do so at the age of 37 or older.
Giguere said talks toward a new deal began a couple of months ago. After four meetings with agent Don Baizley, the parties agreed on the final dollar amount. Sakic said he wants to sign only one-year deals the rest of his career, but knew early in the just-concluded season that he wanted to come back for at least one more.
“It’s still a great organization, and we’ve got a team that I really think is going to get better,” Sakic said. “About halfway through the season, I knew I wanted to go forward with another (contract). I wish we were having this press conference a couple months from now, but we came up a little short for the playoffs. But I think we’re going to come back and pick up where we left off.”
Sakic said he would be glad to make a few phone calls on behalf of Avalanche management, should he be asked to help recruit potential unrestricted free agents. Sakic recently was voted the NHL’s most respected player by The Hockey News, in a player poll. He is good friends with three possible free-agent stars – Peter Forsberg, Chris Drury and Ryan Smyth.
“I might make a few calls,” Sakic said, flashing a smile. “This is a great place to play, and guys in the league know that. They know this organization treats guys real well. But it’s a team that’s going to get better, and that’s the most important thing. But I’m not in management, so whatever happens this summer as far as (free agents) go, that will be their decision.”
Sakic said he won’t play for Canada in the upcoming World Championships in Moscow.
“I’ve got three kids,” he said. “That is more for the younger guys.”
Staff writer Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com.
