Joe Sakic Should Go Down As The Greatest Hockey Human Now That The Avs Won The Cup
Dave Sandford. Getty Images.Joe Sakic is one of the best hockey players of all time, but he's not quite the greatest. He won 2 Stanley Cups as a player, a World Juniors gold medal, and Olympic gold medal, a World Championship, and a World Cup. He's won a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Hart Trophy, and a Lady Byng. It's a pretty damn illustrious playing career, but there's this guy named Wayne Gretzky who also exists out there and nobody else comes close to 99.
Joe Sakic is working his way towards becoming one of the best NHL general managers of all time, but he's not quite the greatest. Since taking over the GM role in Colorado, the Avs have drafted MacKinnon, Rantanen, Tyson Jost and Cale Makar. Made some huge moves to acquire key guys like Kadri, Devon Toews, Lehkonen and Nichuskin. They've won the Central Division 3 times, and are now Stanley Cup Champions for the first time since 2001. It's a pretty damn illustrious start to his managerial career, and there are certainly going to be a few more chances for this group to win a few more Cups together, but there are guys like Ken Holland and Lou Lamoriello out there.
But how many Stanley Cups winning rosters has Wayne Gretzky orchestrated? How many Conn Smythe's has Ken Holland won? How many Hart Trophies does Lou Lamoriello have on the mantle?
As far as guys who have been truly elite on the ice and in the front office go, it's Joe Sakic and it's Stevie Y. Obviously you could make the argument that most of Tampa's roster was constructed when Yzerman was still around. But technically speaking, they didn't win a Cup until after he was gone. Now he's busy orchestrating another wagon in Detroit. Pretty hot start for the Yzerplan getting himself a Calder Trophy winner in Mo Seider, who will certainly be in a ton of Norris Trophy races for the rest of his career. Lucas Raymond will be in plenty of Rocket Richard races. The Red Wings will be playing in June again sooner than later. But Joe Sakic just raised the greatest trophy in sports last night. Again.
Advantage Joe.