Joe Sakic Vs. Steve Yzerman

**Note: I posted this article today on Mile High Hockey in response to a comment made here. If you read the article, I think that you will see the comment that prompted me to write this article.**

Here it is:

In, "The Joe Sakic Rule", Joe @ MHH called Steve Yzerman a "loser" and said that, " Detroit fans continue to kiss his ass to this day..."  because he took a less strenuous role on the team than the 1st line center. Now, I'm no NHLer, but how is being the captain of an NHL franchise a "less strenuous" position regardless of the line you play on? I also hate the Red Wings as much as the next true Avs fan, but to call a man like Stevie Y a loser, that is just unacceptable.

Here are some statistical comparisions between Super Joe and Stevie Y.

                                Sakic                                Yzerman
Games Played     1,363                                1,514
Goals                     623                                    692
Assists                  1,006                                 1,063
Points                    1,629                                 1,755
Playoff Gms          172                                    196
Playoff Goals        84                                      70
Playoff Assists     104                                    115
Playoff Pts             188                                    185
All-Star Games    13                                       10
Stanley Cups        2                                         3 (as a player) 1 as Executive (2008)
Conn Smythes     1 (1996)                            1 (1998)
NHL All-Time Rankings
Points                    8th                                      6th
Reg Season G     14th                                    8th
Reg Season Asst  11th                                  7th
Playoff Points        8th                                      9th

When Steve Yzerman retired at the end of the 2005-06 NHL season the Red Wings were in a far different place then the Avs are in now. Detroit finished that season with a 58-16-8 record for a 124 pts and the President's Trophy. If this is in fact Joe Sakic's last season, the Avs are on pace to finish somewhere around 35-40-7 for 77 pts and the toward bottom of the Western Conference.

In 2007, one year after he retired, Stevie Y took the position of Executive VP, and wouldn't you know it, after one year on the job, the dreaded Wings are raising another banner to the rafters of Joe Louis Arena. Do I think that Super Joe can do the same thing with the Avs should he choose the route of hockey executive? I do.

It’s funny that a guy as humble and professional as Joe Sakic would let pride keep him from taking a less strenuous position on the team than first line center. That Yzerman loser did that for the Wings near the end of his career and Detroit fans continue to kiss his ass to this day because of it.

Going back to the statement by Joe @ MHH above. I think that we as Avs fans are going to do the same thing to Joe when he retires.  I think Joe is more than willing to play on the 3rd or 4th line, I think that he is geniunely not physically able to play. When, and if, he is able to make it back this season, he will be more of a role player than the first line center. He will still be out there for all of the crucial face-offs, but his minutes are going to start tapering off significantly.  Because let's face it, I would rather have him playing 10 minutes or less a night, than missing 8 of the last 11 games entirely.

While I don't consider it "kissing someone's ass", I have no doubt that his number will be hanging from the rafters of Pepsi Center. He will also be looked back on as the greatest player to wear an Nordiques/Avs jersey.

I pray everyday to the hockey Gods that Super Joe will stay in the Denver area when he does retire and guide the Avalanche franchise back to where it belongs, the top of the Western Conference.