Joe Sakic's career retrospective

[Big Phil]

Would you turn down a 21 million dollar signing bonus?

Yes I would. Let's not forget that Sakic wasn't making chump change at this time either. The reason I turn it down was because in 1997 (not sure why people keep saying 1996 was the offer sheet) the Avs were an elite team. NYR was on the way down. Winning would be the most important thing to me in hockey. I'd rather win than have an extra $10 million in my bank account on top of my already $25 million.

I did not like that when Sakic accepted the offer sheet thing. That's the one thing in his career I do not like about him, the only thing really. It was so "anti-Joe Sakic" to do that I thought. Here is a captain of a great team, a supposed loyal captain to boot and he was prepared to go to the Rangers just like that. The only reason Sakic stayed an Av was because they matched it.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Yes I would. Let's not forget that Sakic wasn't making chump change at this time either. The reason I turn it down was because in 1997 (not sure why people keep saying 1996 was the offer sheet) the Avs were an elite team. NYR was on the way down. Winning would be the most important thing to me in hockey. I'd rather win than have an extra $10 million in my bank account on top of my already $25 million.

I did not like that when Sakic accepted the offer sheet thing. That's the one thing in his career I do not like about him, the only thing really. It was so "anti-Joe Sakic" to do that I thought. Here is a captain of a great team, a supposed loyal captain to boot and he was prepared to go to the Rangers just like that. The only reason Sakic stayed an Av was because they matched it.

On the other hand, Sakic probably expected the Avs to match.

I do think it's hypocritical that a lot of people fault Fedorov for signing his offer sheet after he should have been the Conn Smythe winner, but nobody remembers that Sakic did the same thing right after winning the award.

Actually, there was a trend then of great playoff performers trying to cash in. Claude Lemieux was traded over a contract dispute after 95, and then you have the Sakic and Fedorov offer sheets.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Yes I would. Let's not forget that Sakic wasn't making chump change at this time either. The reason I turn it down was because in 1997 (not sure why people keep saying 1996 was the offer sheet) the Avs were an elite team. NYR was on the way down. Winning would be the most important thing to me in hockey. I'd rather win than have an extra $10 million in my bank account on top of my already $25 million.

I did not like that when Sakic accepted the offer sheet thing. That's the one thing in his career I do not like about him, the only thing really. It was so "anti-Joe Sakic" to do that I thought. Here is a captain of a great team, a supposed loyal captain to boot and he was prepared to go to the Rangers just like that. The only reason Sakic stayed an Av was because they matched it.

on the other hand, going to the rangers in '97 also meant the chance to play with wayne, who if i remember correctly was sakic's idol.

also, interesting article entitled "lacroix gets what he deserves for messing with his captain" alleging that lacroix low-balled sakic, offering much less than forsberg got: http://web.archive.org/web/19990209155907/www.interlog.com/~ditko37/citn/hfb1lacr.html

No doubt, Lacroix's strategy was this : 1) Sakic has publicly announced that he wants to stay in Denver (that can be used against him); 2) he will probably take a little less money because of that desire and the building we play in; 3) no-one will make him an offer.
Point one : don't ever underestimate Sakic's negotiating cool. He has hammered everybody who has come up against him. The Nords took him to arbitration back in 1991. The quote from Pierre Page was something like, ''Sakic came in with two hammers and we were holding the nails''. The Nords also learned to not be fooled by his shy demeanour back in 1988 when it took an entire year to sign him to a contract, a contract no doubt made more expensive by him becoming Major Junior Play Of The Year in the year during negotiations.

On the other hand, Sakic probably expected the Avs to match.

I do think it's hypocritical that a lot of people fault Fedorov for signing his offer sheet after he should have been the Conn Smythe winner, but nobody remembers that Sakic did the same thing right after winning the award.

Actually, there was a trend then of great playoff performers trying to cash in. Claude Lemieux was traded over a contract dispute after 95, and then you have the Sakic and Fedorov offer sheets.

also, vernon i believe.

 

[Unaffiliated]

Yes I would. Let's not forget that Sakic wasn't making chump change at this time either. The reason I turn it down was because in 1997 (not sure why people keep saying 1996 was the offer sheet) the Avs were an elite team. NYR was on the way down. Winning would be the most important thing to me in hockey. I'd rather win than have an extra $10 million in my bank account on top of my already $25 million.

I did not like that when Sakic accepted the offer sheet thing. That's the one thing in his career I do not like about him, the only thing really. It was so "anti-Joe Sakic" to do that I thought. Here is a captain of a great team, a supposed loyal captain to boot and he was prepared to go to the Rangers just like that. The only reason Sakic stayed an Av was because they matched it.

I was under the impression that Sakic's main incentive to play in New York was to play with Wayne Gretzky (boyhood idol yada yada yada).

But I still totally agree with you. I always get uncomfortable when the New York offer sheet is mentioned.

 

[Hasbro]

I remember one that most people probably don't, or will be surprised to hear about. (But this isn't intended as a criticism of Sakic's legacy.)

In the final game of the 1997-98 regular season Sakic collided mid-ice with an oppoenent (maybe a Red Wing, can't remember for sure). It was determined that Sakic stuck his knee out in the collision and he got suspended for one game. That game was Colorado's playoff opener against the Oilers.

The Avalanche controlled the game and led 2-0 in the third period before allowing three unanswered goals to blow what seemed like an easy win, losing 3-2. They won the next three games before gassing the series with three straight losses. If they have their captain in Game 1, maybe they don't unravel and end up sweeping the series.

Yeah it was Draper. No penalty and Draper didn't even leave the game.

Brian Burke handed down the suspension because he didn't like Lacroix.

 

[Big Phil]

On the other hand, Sakic probably expected the Avs to match.

I do think it's hypocritical that a lot of people fault Fedorov for signing his offer sheet after he should have been the Conn Smythe winner, but nobody remembers that Sakic did the same thing right after winning the award.

Actually, there was a trend then of great playoff performers trying to cash in. Claude Lemieux was traded over a contract dispute after 95, and then you have the Sakic and Fedorov offer sheets.

Oh yeah, hey I give Sakic the business just about as much as Fedorov. Both nearly made critical errors in their careers. Now the difference is Sakic is a more beloved player, but both were dumb in my mind.

I mean Fedorov sits out most of 1997-'98. Carolina of all teams is prepared to offer him a contract. Detroit matches. He then comes back to Detroit in February/March whenever it was. This could have been VITAL to the legacy of Fedorov. He won the Cup in 1997, but if he goes with Carolina he never wins another Cup and maybe his HHOF potential isn't so rosy. Since he stayed with Detroit he picked up two more Cups and was very important in both of them. This helps his legacy and there aren't many on here who think he'll get excluded from the HHOF. But if he signs with Carolina things might be different.

Who knows, the same could have happened to Sakic. His career might not have panned out quite the same. He'd be a HHOFer anyway, but maybe the NYR thing is a disaster.

 

[Theokritos]

This could have been VITAL to the legacy of Fedorov. He won the Cup in 1997, but if he goes with Carolina he never wins another Cup and maybe his HHOF potential isn't so rosy.

Maybe Fyodorov didn't care too much about his HHOF potential. A mistake? Depends. If you're interested in your 'legacy' and want to see your name in the HOF, the answer is yes. But if you prefer playing hockey for the amount of money you think you deserve over awards and tinsel, the answer is no.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

i don't generally fault guys for their career decisions, unless they pull a yashin or a heatley. and while we as fans and "historians" love to talk about guys' legacies, they may have other priorities, whether it's maximum money, or where they want to raise their kids/where their families want to live, who they choose to play for/under/with (sometimes for non-hockey reasons), etc. i think often we forget that they don't owe us in the sense that they have to make major life decisions based solely on their legacies.

also, with sakic and fedorov, they both already had one legendary cup run. it maybe would be different if joe thornton hit UFA and signed with atlanta. it's not to say sakic and fedorov didn't have anything left to prove, but there's a big difference between choosing money over winning if you've already won. with thornton it would be like saying, "i don't care about winning." with sakic and fedorov, at least they already had theirs.

but big phil, do you have any response to the link i posted (http://web.archive.org/web/19990209155907/www.interlog.com/~ditko37/citn/hfb1lacr.html)? if it's accurate, that would make sakic's signing with NYR more understandable, even from a fan's perspective.

 

[Scott1980]

Sakic actually broke the OT record with his 7th OT winner, April 24, 2006 vs Dallas.

His 8th just added to it. One hell of a record! The guy was just a sure thing when the Avs needed him.

 

[Big Phil]

but big phil, do you have any response to the link i posted (http://web.archive.org/web/19990209155907/www.interlog.com/~ditko37/citn/hfb1lacr.html)? if it's accurate, that would make sakic's signing with NYR more understandable, even from a fan's perspective.

Sorry, couldn't click on the link. What was the question?

 

[Czech Your Math]

Some interesting stuff, nice thread.

He was in the general area of a lot of dramatic and controversial situations, kinda strange considering what a quiet, classy and unassuming guy he seems to be.

Was wondering recently what ethnicity Sakic was, so cool to read about him being Croatian, especially since it relates to him being relatively quiet. Never would have guessed he didn't start speaking English until kindergartern.

Don't want it to sound like a back-handed compliment of some kind, but wouldn't you say Sakic was one of the least "flashiest" superstar forwards of recent memory? It's not that he wasn't fast, skilled, physical or flashy at all, but in comparison to contemporaries like Yzerman, Fedorov, Bure, Mogilny, Selanne, Forsberg, Kariya, Lindros, Jagr, Lemieux, etc. he almost appeared (and I hate to say it) "ordinary." Again, a class guy, and a player who did many things well, but although his skating and wrist shot were excellent, but hardly stands out in the "wow" factor compared to many other superstars.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Sorry, couldn't click on the link. What was the question?

there's this article that alleges that lacroix low-balled sakic and offered much less than forsberg got the same year, also that both were up for contracts and forsberg was clearly lacroix's priority, that they tried to use sakic's loyalty and desire to stay to pay him far less than market value, and implies that it was the owner not lacroix who matched new york's offer.

i don't remember if this was accurate, though i do like this writer (though he does have his favourites and his axes to grind, and sakic was his boy). but what do you make of this? does this colour sakic's signing with NYR for you/make it more understandable?

http://web.archive.org/web/19990209155907/www.interlog.com/~ditko37/citn/hfb1lacr.html

 

[Padan]

Sakic actually broke the OT record with his 7th OT winner, April 24, 2006 vs Dallas.

I remember that goal. Liles shot the puck and Sakic tipped it in. Liles was credited with the goal at first, but he saw that Joe deflected it and told him that he should "correct" it with the officials. Sakic refused to do it, which just shows what an amazing class-act he was.

 

[Hasbro]

there's this article that alleges that lacroix low-balled sakic and offered much less than forsberg got the same year, also that both were up for contracts and forsberg was clearly lacroix's priority, that they tried to use sakic's loyalty and desire to stay to pay him far less than market value, and implies that it was the owner not lacroix who matched new york's offer.

i don't remember if this was accurate, though i do like this writer (though he does have his favourites and his axes to grind, and sakic was his boy). but what do you make of this? does this colour sakic's signing with NYR for you/make it more understandable?

http://web.archive.org/web/19990209155907/www.interlog.com/~ditko37/citn/hfb1lacr.html

That isn't accurate.

The Avs were cash poor until the Pepsi Center would go up. Before the Forsberg extension there was speculation in the media that teams would try successive offer sheets to force the Avs to pick one or the other.

Forsberg's "$6 million dollar a year deal" was in fact for $12 million over 3 years. He was a team player on that contract structuring it for $2 million the first year $4 million the second and $6 million the 3rd. Considering the numbers tossed around in the media were all over $5 million a year, Forsberg could reasonably be said to have left $9 million on the table and that Sakic would have been lost if not for his taking less.

While one can speculate on Lacroix displaying unnecessary zeal in resigning Sakic, Joe had ample reason to wait and see what kind of offers were out there after July 1st.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Sakic is actually my favourite player of all time. Which is weird, considering I'm a Leafs fan. I started cheering for him in 1994 (I was 4 years old).

 

[Dexter Colt]

In the final game of the 1997-98 regular season Sakic collided mid-ice with an oppoenent (maybe a Red Wing, can't remember for sure). It was determined that Sakic stuck his knee out in the collision and he got suspended for one game. That game was Colorado's playoff opener against the Oilers.

Slightly OT but you just brought back so many memories... still probably have that game on tape, boxed up somewhere. Sakic kneed Draper, got 2 or 2+2 for kneeing, IIRC.

On topic; I concur with all the praise. Been a die-hard Wings fan since '96, yet very recently even went and got a Sakic jersey.