Canadian'eh!
07-25-2005, 02:59 PM
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=col) said Monday they plan to honor the contracts of Joe Sakic (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=7) and Rob Blake (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=111), two of the core players for the perennial Stanley Cup contenders whose futures were in limbo.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=8 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD width=65>http://espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/0111.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD width=65>Blake</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=8 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD width=65>http://espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/0007.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD width=65>Sakic</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
The fate of other key Avalanche players -- most notably Peter Forsberg (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=333) and Adam Foote (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=591) -- is still being considered as general manager Pierre Lacroix scrambles to make decisions before Aug. 1, when those players will go on the open market if not signed.
Under a collective bargaining agreement approved last week by players and owners, the Avalanche can spend no more than $39 million. It means Colorado almost certainly must part with one or two players from the core that has made them a constant contender. Lacroix, who has been working on Colorado's plans since the agreement was reached on July 13, said every decision he makes is meant to point the franchise to its third Stanley Cup.
"We get up in the morning for one reason: To be there for the last day," Lacroix said.
The Avalanche invited Sakic and Blake, two of the eight players Colorado still has under contract, to the team's first news conference since the agreement was reached, and Lacroix announced they would be back.
With the 24 percent rollback on all current contracts, Sakic and Blake would cost about $13 million combined for the upcoming season.
Forsberg and Foote are both unrestricted free agents. If they are not signed by Aug. 1, they will be on the open market.
Despite a history of injuries, Forsberg is widely considered the best player in the game. The most he can make under the new deal is $7.8 million and it would be difficult for the Avalanche to keep him unless he was willing to accept significantly less than what he could get on the open market.
Lacroix said his goal is to keep as much of the team intact as possible.
"I want everyone back," he said. "Is it possible? Sure, it's possible. But there needs to be adjustments. We've been going around the clock for seven days now."
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=col) said Monday they plan to honor the contracts of Joe Sakic (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=7) and Rob Blake (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=111), two of the core players for the perennial Stanley Cup contenders whose futures were in limbo.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=8 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD width=65>http://espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/0111.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD width=65>Blake</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=8 rowSpan=2> </TD><TD width=65>http://espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/0007.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD width=65>Sakic</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
The fate of other key Avalanche players -- most notably Peter Forsberg (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=333) and Adam Foote (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=591) -- is still being considered as general manager Pierre Lacroix scrambles to make decisions before Aug. 1, when those players will go on the open market if not signed.
Under a collective bargaining agreement approved last week by players and owners, the Avalanche can spend no more than $39 million. It means Colorado almost certainly must part with one or two players from the core that has made them a constant contender. Lacroix, who has been working on Colorado's plans since the agreement was reached on July 13, said every decision he makes is meant to point the franchise to its third Stanley Cup.
"We get up in the morning for one reason: To be there for the last day," Lacroix said.
The Avalanche invited Sakic and Blake, two of the eight players Colorado still has under contract, to the team's first news conference since the agreement was reached, and Lacroix announced they would be back.
With the 24 percent rollback on all current contracts, Sakic and Blake would cost about $13 million combined for the upcoming season.
Forsberg and Foote are both unrestricted free agents. If they are not signed by Aug. 1, they will be on the open market.
Despite a history of injuries, Forsberg is widely considered the best player in the game. The most he can make under the new deal is $7.8 million and it would be difficult for the Avalanche to keep him unless he was willing to accept significantly less than what he could get on the open market.
Lacroix said his goal is to keep as much of the team intact as possible.
"I want everyone back," he said. "Is it possible? Sure, it's possible. But there needs to be adjustments. We've been going around the clock for seven days now."
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