Colorado Avalanche's Joe Sakic and His Hockey Career

Joe Sakic has been a part of the same NHL team for over twenty years and has a lot to show for it. Joe Sakic was born in Burnaby, British Columbia in Canada on July 7, 1969, making him thirty-nine years old. Joe Sakic is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 195 pounds, which for a pro hockey player, is not on the big side. He plays center and is the current Captain of the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Sakic's impressive hockey career begins in the WHL (Western Hockey League) with the Lethbridge Broncos in the 1985-1986 season. The WHL is one of the three leagues which makes up the CHL (Canadian Hockey League), which is the best junior hockey league in the country.

In the 1986-1987, Joe Sakic moved on to another WHL team, the Swift Current Broncos. His first season with them, he played 72 games and ended the season with 133 points. Sakic also played the 1987-1988 season with the Swift Current Broncos, this time playing 60 games and racking up 160 points. Joe Sakic was drafted in 1987 by the Quebec Nordiques, 15th overall. After his last season with the Swift Current Broncos, Joe Sakic headed to the NHL to play with the Nordiques. In 1995, the Quebec Nordiques were sold, due to financial troubles, and were moved to Colorado where they became the Colorado Avalanche.

Joe Sakic moved with the Nordiques as they became the Colorado Avalanche and played his first season with them in 1995-1996 season. The team's first season in the NHL was a successful one, they won the 1996 Stanley Cup. Joe Sakic has been a part of the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche since the beginning of his professional hockey career, and he is now the Captain of their team. Joe Sakic won another Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. Joe Sakic is the active player who has the most regular season points (1629) and the active player who has the most regular season assists (1006).

An impressive professional hockey career is definitely something that Joe Sakic has. Sakic was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 (in which he was voted MVP), and 2007. Sakic has also been the recipient of many awards. In 1996, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the player who is judged to be most valuable to his team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 2001, Joe Sakic won the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player judged to be most valuable to his team during the regular season. Also in 2001, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson award. The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded to the player who shows the best sportsmanship and the Lester B. Pearson award to the most outstanding hockey player during the regular season.

Joe Sakic has also played hockey for Team Canada many times. In 1991 and 1994, he played for them in the World Championships, winning the silver in 1991 and the gold in 1994. In 1996 and 2004, Joe Sakic played for Team Canada in the World Cup, winning the silver in 1996 and the gold in 2004. Sakic has also been a part of Canada's Olympic Hockey team a few times. In 1998, 2002, and 2006 Joe Sakic played with Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, winning a gold medal in 2002.

ref-www.nhl.com