GLENDALE, Ariz. — Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman on Monday said the signing of Peter Forsberg wasn’t a rubber-stamping of Forsberg’s decision, saying the Colorado staff had evaluated him during his two weeks with the team.
“We wanted to see where he was at as well,” Sherman said in Jobing.com Arena after the Avalanche’s morning skate. “We’re confident as a staff that things are positive.”
Forsberg’s signing comes as the Feb. 28 NHL trading deadline nears, and the Avalanche still is well below the league salary cap for this season.
“I’m looking at situations where if I believe we can improve our hockey club, I’ll do it,” Sherman said.
Of the Avalanche’s recent slide, Sherman said: “When you look at the Western Conference, and you look at the league as a whole, teams go through those types of periods. I’m confident of that group in that room, the players in that room, and I’m certainly confident our coaching staff, combined with them, will battle through this and be on a positive path. That’s the challenge of an 82-game season.”
Foppa update.
Forsberg took part in the morning skate with the Avs and remained with the team for its Monday night game against the Coyotes. But he said that before he could play for Colorado in his latest comeback, he will have to leave the United States, then re-enter the country because of immigration and visa issues.
He indicated the Avalanche front office was trying to make arrangements to help in the process of re-entering on a work visa. “I don’t know where I’m going,” he said. “I know I’m going to a different country, that’s all.”
The Avs indicated after the game Monday night that Forsberg was remaining in Phoenix while the rest of the team traveled to Minneapolis-St. Paul, and would travel to Canada — probably Calgary — today, then re-enter the U.S.
Terry Frei, The Denver Post
