DENVER — Joe Sakic, the Colorado Avalanche’s longtime captain who led the team to two Stanley Cup titles, will retire Thursday and end his 20-year NHL career, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Sakic, a 13-time all-star, will formally announce his decision Thursday in a news conference.
Sakic, who turned 40 on Tuesday, has been the face of the franchise since the team relocated to Denver from Quebec in 1995. He teamed with Patrick Roy, Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote to capture the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001.
It’s been a storied career for Sakic, who’s won championships and league MVP honours, and led Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2002.