Avoid the traffic... take the Ferry
to Martha's Vineyard - '97 Summer Schedule.
Avoid the traffic... take the Ferry
to Martha's Vineyard - '97 Summer Schedule.
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers, who lost Mark Messier in the free agent market just last week, announced last night that they have signed highly regarded Joe Sakic to an offer sheet.
Sakic, regarded as one of the premier offensive players in the NHL, has spent the last nine years with the Colorado Avalanche organization. Two years ago, he was the MVP of the playoffs in leading the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup championship.
Although no terms of the deal with the Rangers were announced, it was reported they had offered Sakic a three-year deal worth $21 million. It was believed the Avalanche were hoping to sign the 28-year-old to a multiyear contract of about $6 million a season.
The Avalanche can match the Rangers' offer. If they don't, the Rangers will have to give the Avalanche five first-round picks in future NHL entry drafts.
Messier's departure created a big stir and a lot of negative response from fans in New York, but the Rangers wasted little time in trying to win the fans back with this major signing.
In 655 career games, Sakic has chalked up 307 goals and 513 assists, along with 261 penalty minutes. Sakic has collected 100 or more points on four occasions, and 40 or more goals three times.
His best season was 1995-96, when he had 51 goals and 69 assists. He has finished in the top 10 in scoring in four of his nine seasons.
But Sakic, playing in small-market Quebec for most of his career, was always regarded as an underrated superstar until his emergence in the 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs when he set the playoff record with most game-winning goals.
A native of Burnaby, British Columbia, Sakic was originally drafted by the Nordiques with their second choice, 15th overall, in the first round of the 1987 Entry Draft.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder was named the Nordiques team captain in the 1992-93 season and has represented his team in the All-Star game for the past seven seasons. He was unable to participate in last season's game because of injury.
In addition, Sakic represented Team Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Sakic is a Group Two free agent and under the collective bargaining agreement, Colorado has seven days to match the offer.
Earlier this year, Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix said of Sakic: "We'll do everything to keep him here. ... We don't want him to leave. Nobody wants him to leave."
Ascent Sports, owner of the Avalanche and NBA's Denver Nuggets, has lost millions at McNichols Arena, and negotiations to build the proposed Pepsi Center are still on hold. In the meantime, Lacroix must try to accommodate a high payroll with marginal revenue.
Sakic was paid $3.1 million this past season.
Earlier this season, the Rangers signed another Colorado player from the championship team, forward Mike Keane.
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