Registered: Jan 2001
Location: anywhere but here
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If you hated the Avalanche before, you'll hate them even more now!

Fireworks in the Rockies

By Phil Coffey | NHL.com | July 3, 2003

Good news had been at something of a premium for the Colorado Avalanche in recent months. Notice we said "had" as in past tense.

The stunning loss to the Minnesota Wild in the Stanley Cup Playoffs certainly wasn't what the Avalanche envisioned about the 2003 postseason. The subsequent retirement of goaltender Patrick Roy was a bittersweet moment for Colorado and its fans.

Consternation over the status of center Peter Forsberg's future was relieved when he signed an extension with the team. Having the Hart Trophy winner back in the fold is always a good sign for a team.

But Colorado set off some early fireworks prior to the Fourth of July holiday weekend in the United States with the news that the club had not only signed Teemu Selanne, but Paul Kariya as well. Both unrestricted free agents add unprecedented depth to the Avalanche's offensive arsenal and certainly cast Colorado as a bona fide Stanley Cup contender in 2003-04.

Assimilation won't be a problem here as Kariya and Selanne go a long way back. As members of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for the better part of six seasons, they formed one of the most dynamic offensive duos in NHL history.

Now, add Joe Sakic as their center and Colorado has a dynamic, potentially overpowering line. And to make matters worse for those charged with taking points from the Avalanche, this trio will augment a line that ran roughshod over the League last season, as Forsberg centered for Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay.

Consider the offensive numbers for the Avalanche's potential top two lines, they are staggering.

Forsberg had 29 goals and 77 assists in 75 games last season and grabbed the season by the throat when the Avalanche were struggling after Sakic suffered a broken foot. His playmaking was breathtaking and ability to come up big in clutch situations made him a most worthy candidate for the Hart Trophy as the League's regular season MVP.

Hejduk won the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the NHL in goals last season. Now coming into his own as a deadly offensive talent, Hejduk had the touch last season, scoring 50 goals and 48 assists in 82 games. Tanguay, who struggled mightily at the start of the 2002-03 season, rebounded beautifully with Forsberg and Hejduk, finishing the season with 26 goals and 41 assists.

Then, there is Sakic, who despite missing a considerable chunk of the regular season, averaged a point-per-game with 26 goals and 32 assists in 58 games.

Now, insert the newcomers. Kariya played in all 82 games for the second consecutive year for Anaheim, scoring 25 goals and 56 assists. Selanne had 28 goals and 64 points for the San Jose Sharks. He was named the team's most valuable player.

When Selanne opted not to pick up his option with the Sharks, there was plenty of speculation that he wanted to be teamed with Kariya again. Most figured the reunion would occur in Anaheim, but that destination changed when the Mighty Ducks didn't make a qualifying offer to Kariya, allowing the longtime Mighty Duck to become an unrestricted free agent.


Selanne is a bonafide goal scorer who should thrive in Colorado with a handful of offensive weapons around him.

Now, the two look to weave their offensive magic in the Rockies. During their tenure together in Anaheim, Selanne twice topped 50 goals in a season and also recorded two 100-point seasons. Kariya had one 50-goal campaign and two 100-point seasons with Selanne as his linemate.

Pierre Lacroix, the Avalanche GM, certainly has shown a penchant for making dramatic moves over the years. He made the big trade that brought Roy to Colorado from Montreal in 1996 and won two Stanley Cups. He made an equally significant move in acquiring defenseman Rob Blake from the Los Angeles Kings and also dealt for future Hall of Famer Ray Bourque from the Boston Bruins.

Chances are more moves will be coming. While he has been supportive of incumbent goalie David Aebischer and rookie Philippe Sauve, Lacroix could opt to add a veteran goaltender at some point.

The Colorado defense also figures to have a different look once the 2003-04 season begins. Both Greg de Vries and Bryan Marchment are unrestricted free agents, so they could move on, leaving Blake, Adam Foote and Derek Morris as the anchors of the back line.

Anticipating those changes, the Avalanche acquired the rights to restricted free agent Karlis Skrastins from the Nashville Predators. The 28-year-old Skrastins played in every game for Nashville over the past three seasons. Skrastins collected three goals and 10 assists last season for the Predators.

So, while signing Kariya and Selanne would represent quite a body of work for a general manager, Lacroix is well aware that to challenge in the Western Conference he is going to have some additional tinkering to do with his roster. But there is no question whatsoever that adding two proven stars like Kariya and Selanne is quite the way to start.

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Now all we need is a decent goalie and they might as well give the Stanley Cup to us as soon as the season starts.

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Registered: Apr 2001
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that's fucked up. hello, colorado yankees!

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Registered: Jan 2001
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quote:

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Originally posted by buddha's penis
that's fucked up. hello, colorado yankees!

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 6561

They did what they had to, winning Ray his cup. Now Roy is gone. There is nothing left to root for on this team.

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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: 0.50
Posts: 9355

very true. also, no kariya damn near kills the ducks. it's all fair and part of the business and all, but i hate it when teams load up on the superstars. i liked the avalanche in the mid-90s. i used to like the flyers too. fuckers.
i guess it just reminds me that it's not a game to management. takes the fun out of a team. something like that, anyway.

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Registered: Jul 2000
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"As members of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim..."

You have *GOT* to be kidding me.

The Mighty Ducks? of Anaheim?

...

So, which city got the Hello Kitties. I am dying to know.

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Registered: Jul 2000
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seriously.

somebody actually called a professional sports team the "Mighty Ducks"??

There must be some kind of semi-rational reasoning behind it. There has to be. Nobody is that crazy.

edit: never mind. sorry I interrupted. Disney is behind it. I should have known. http://www.askmen.com/sports/busine...s_business.html. carry on.

edit #2: thank you bp (below), I love you.

Last edited by missphinx on 07-04-2003 at 02:32 AM

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Registered: Apr 2001
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here it is:
the owner of the team, disney, named the team after the disney movie "the mighty ducks".

yeah.

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Registered: Apr 2001
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YEAH I TOTALLY WAS INFORMING YOU BEFORE YOU EDITED THAT I CAN SEE BY THE TIMES.
right back at you, lady. but for you the thanks are for the love, and the love is for the love also and furthermore just for being YOU.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: In a Blue, Blue State
Posts: 12544

Now, if they'd get these guys, their team would be complete.

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Registered: Jan 2001
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apparently the Avs let Reinprect go to Buffalo who traded him to Calgary. I thought he was a decent player. I guess he is probably surplus to requirement with all the new players we have acquired.

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Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Hilbert Space
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quote:

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Originally posted by billgerat
Now, if they'd get these guys, their team would be complete.

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