Because that is all anyone asks him about. He has never once said "I am actively shopping Matt". You talk about the 1 1/2 year rental but to a playoff team that believes he is the missing piece, he is very very valuable. Could he have been the difference for Nashville last season? Maybe, maybe not, but his term is not that big of a negative.
Name one instance of a GM saying "I am actively shopping X". They don't even say it that bluntly, when they are talking about journeyman UFAs at the deadline. They just imply and maybe say it more to the point through some media type. Sakic has also not said "Matt Duchene is not for sale and will fullfill his contract with the Avalanche."
If he never intended to trade Duchene under any circumstances, he should have come right out and put an end to it. I think, we can all agree, that is not what happened.
So, maybe he only intended to feel out the market and only trade him for something that really knocked his socks off. Sure, that's not even that unlikely. But do you disagree that he needs to **** or get off the pot some time soon? He has been "feeling out the market" for over a years. He doesn't need to trade Duchene, but he needs to either trade him or pull him off the block. Very publicly.
The media is not a passive bystander in this situation, but neither is Sakic. Come on!