Joe Sakic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Sakic
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2012
Sakic with the Colorado Avalanche in 1997
Born	(1969-07-07) July 7, 1969 (age 55) Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Quebec Nordiques Colorado Avalanche
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	15th overall, 1987 Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1988–2009

Joe Sakic is a Canadian ice hockey legend! He played his entire 21-year career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Quebec Nordiques and then the Colorado Avalanche. Joe was known as an amazing leader. He became the team's captain in 1992. People often called him "Burnaby Joe" because he was from Burnaby, British Columbia.

Joe Sakic played in 13 NHL All-Star Games. He also helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup twice, in 1996 and 2001. In 1996, he was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the playoffs, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. In 2001, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award as the NHL's MVP. After he stopped playing, Joe became the general manager for the Avalanche. He helped them win another Stanley Cup in 2022! This made him one of the few people to win the Stanley Cup as both a player and a general manager for the same team.

Joe was a fantastic scorer. He scored 50 goals in a season twice. He also had over 100 points in six different seasons. His wrist shot was super fast and hard to stop. Many goalies were afraid of it! When he retired, Joe was one of the top scorers in NHL history. He was eighth in total points, 14th in goals, and 11th in assists. Joe also played for Team Canada. He helped them win a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. This was Canada's first hockey gold in 50 years! Joe was named the MVP of that Olympic tournament.

Joe Sakic retired from playing hockey in 2009. His jersey number, 19, was retired by the Avalanche. This means no other player on the team can wear that number. In 2012, he was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was also named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history in 2017.

After his playing career, Joe stayed with the Avalanche. He worked in their management team. He became the general manager in 2014. He helped build a strong team that won the Stanley Cup in 2022. For his great work, he won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. Now, he is the President of Hockey Operations for the team.

Early Life and Hockey Dreams

Joe Sakic was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. His parents came from Croatia. Growing up, Joe spoke Croatian at home. He didn't learn English until he started kindergarten.

When Joe was four, he went to his first NHL game. He watched the Vancouver Canucks play. After that, he knew he wanted to be a hockey player. Joe was a smaller player. So, he learned to use his skill instead of his size. He looked up to his idol, Wayne Gretzky. People even said Joe could be the next Wayne Gretzky!

Joe played for the Burnaby BC Selects. He scored an amazing 83 goals and 156 points in 80 games! Soon after, he joined the Lethbridge Broncos in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

A Difficult Season

In the 1986–87 season, Joe's team moved. They became the Swift Current Broncos. Joe had a great first full season. He scored 60 goals and 73 assists for 133 points. He was named the WHL Rookie of the Year.

But that season also brought a terrible event. On December 30, 1986, the team bus crashed. It was due to bad weather and black ice. Joe was not hurt, but four of his teammates died. This sad event stayed with Joe throughout his career. He rarely talked about it.

The next year, Joe continued to shine. He scored 160 points! He was named the WHL Most Valuable Player. He also won the Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year award.

Becoming an NHL Star

The Quebec Nordiques picked Joe Sakic 15th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Joe decided to play one more year in Swift Current to get ready for the NHL.

He made his NHL debut on October 6, 1988. He got an assist in that game. Two days later, he scored his first NHL goal. Joe wore number 88 at first. His favorite number, 19, was already taken.

Early Years with the Nordiques

In his second season (1989–90), Joe got to wear his number 19. He scored 102 points! He was the first player in NHL history to score 100 points on a last-place team.

The next year, Joe became a co-captain of the Nordiques. He scored 109 points. The Nordiques were not a strong team back then. They finished last in the league for three years in a row.

In 1992, Joe became the only captain of the team. Under his leadership, the Nordiques made the playoffs for the first time in six years. Joe scored 105 points that season. After the 1994–95 season, Joe helped the Nordiques win their division title. This was their first since 1985–86.

Winning the Stanley Cup

In May 1995, the Nordiques team moved. They went to Denver, Colorado. They changed their name to the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Sakic led the team to a Stanley Cup championship in their very first year in Colorado! He scored 120 points in the regular season. He then added 34 points in the playoffs. Joe won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the 1996 playoffs. He scored 18 goals in the playoffs, including six game-winners.

Sakic playing with the Avalanche in 1997

In 1997, Joe had a calf injury. He still scored 74 points. The Avalanche won their first Presidents' Trophy that year. This award goes to the team with the best regular season record.

That summer, Joe almost left the Avalanche. The New York Rangers offered him a big contract. But the Avalanche matched the offer. They were able to keep their star captain!

More Success and Milestones

Injuries bothered Joe in the 1997–98 season. He hurt his knee at the Olympics. But he still scored 63 points in 64 games. In the 1998–99 season, Joe was back in top form. He scored 96 points in 73 games. The Avalanche almost made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The 1999–2000 season brought many milestones for Joe. On December 27, 1999, he reached 1,000 career points. Later, on March 23, 2000, he scored a hat-trick (three goals in one game). This made him the 59th player to score 400 career goals. He also passed Peter Šťastný to become the Avalanche's all-time leading scorer.

In the 2000–01 season, Joe had an amazing year. He scored a career-high 54 goals and 118 points. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and the Lester B. Pearson Award. Joe then led the Avalanche to their second Stanley Cup championship. They beat the New Jersey Devils in seven games.

After receiving the Stanley Cup, Joe did something special. Instead of lifting it first, he passed it straight to his teammate, Ray Bourque. Ray had played for 22 seasons without winning the Cup. It was a memorable moment for hockey fans.

Later Years and Retirement

Joe continued to lead the Avalanche. On March 9, 2002, he played in his 1,000th career game. The Avalanche reached the Western Conference Finals again.

After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Avalanche lost many key players. But Joe still helped the team make the playoffs. In June 2006, Joe signed a new one-year deal. When Steve Yzerman retired, Joe became the active player with the most career points.

On February 15, 2007, Joe scored his 600th career goal. He was the 17th player in history to do so. On the last day of the season, he reached 100 points. At 37 years old, he was the second-oldest player to score 100 points in a season, after Gordie Howe.

Joe signed for his 19th NHL season in 2007. On October 7, 2007, he moved past Phil Esposito into eighth place on the NHL career points list. On March 22, 2008, Joe recorded his 1,000th career assist. He was the 11th player in NHL history to reach this milestone.

Injuries limited Joe's playing time in his final season (2008–09). He announced his retirement on July 9, 2009. His jersey number 19 was retired by the Avalanche on October 1, 2009.

All-Star Games

Joe Sakic was chosen for the NHL All-Star Game 13 times. He played in 12 of them. He was a captain for two All-Star Games. He scored at least one point in 11 of his All-Star appearances.

In the 2004 All-Star Game, Joe won the MVP award. He scored a hat trick in that game. He holds the record for the most assists in All-Star Games with 16. He is also third in all-time All-Star scoring with 22 points.

Playing for Team Canada

Sakic (no. 91) at the 2006 Olympics
Medal record
Representing Canada
Olympics
Gold	2002 Salt Lake City
World Championships
Gold	1994 Italy
Silver	1991 Finland
World Cup
Gold	2004 World Cup
Silver	1996 World Cup
World Junior Championships
Gold	1988 Soviet Union

Joe Sakic played for Team Canada many times. He played in seven international tournaments. He helped the Canadian junior team win the 1988 World Junior Championship.

In 1991, Team Canada won a silver medal at the World Championships. Joe scored 11 points in 10 games.

Joe's first big win with the senior team was at the 1994 World Championships. Canada won its first gold medal in that tournament since 1961. Joe's seven points were key to their success.

Olympic Glory

Joe's first Olympic appearance was in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. This was the first Olympics where NHL players could play. Joe was bothered by a knee injury. Canada finished fourth that year.

His second Olympic appearance was in 2002 in Salt Lake City. Joe led the Canadian team to the gold medal game against Team USA. Joe scored four points in the final game. Canada won its first gold medal in 50 years! Joe was named the MVP of the tournament. He also became one of the first Canadian members of the Triple Gold Club. This means he won an Olympic gold, a World Championship gold, and the Stanley Cup.

Joe also helped Canada win the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He scored six points in six games. In 2006, Joe was named captain for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Canada was expected to win, but they finished seventh.

Life After Playing

After retiring from playing, Joe took some time off. In 2011, he returned to the Avalanche. He became an executive advisor for the team. He gave advice on hockey matters.

On June 26, 2012, Joe was chosen for the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted on November 12, 2012. He was the only one in his group who had won the Stanley Cup as a player.

On May 10, 2013, Joe was promoted. He became the executive vice president of hockey operations. He had the final say on all hockey decisions. The next year, he was officially named general manager.

Building a Champion Team

Joe's time as general manager had some tough moments. In the 2016–17 season, the team finished last. But this led to good things. The team drafted Cale Makar, who became a star defenseman. Joe also made smart trades for players like Nazem Kadri and Devon Toews.

The Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy in the 2020–21 season. Then, in the 2021–22 season, they won the Stanley Cup! Joe Sakic became only the third person to win the Stanley Cup with the same team as both a player and a general manager. He won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award for his great work.

In July 2022, Joe became the President of Hockey Operations. This is a new, higher role for him.

Personal Life

Joe Sakic is married to Debbie. They have three children: Mitchell, Chase, and Kamryn. Joe and Debbie met in high school when he played in Swift Current. They often visit the town in the off-season.

Joe loves to play golf. He has played in celebrity golf tournaments. Every summer, he hosted a charity golf tournament. It helped the Food Bank of the Rockies. His charity work has provided millions of meals to children and families. He won an NHL Foundation Player Award for his efforts.

Joe is very popular in his hometown of Burnaby. A street there is named Joe Sakic Way in his honor. People in British Columbia call him "Burnaby Joe." In Colorado, he is known as "Super Joe."

Career Statistics

Joe Sakic played many games and scored many points in his career. Here's a quick look at his main stats:

Joe Sakic's Legacy

Milestones and Records

Joe Sakic reached many amazing milestones in his career:

• He scored his 1,000th career point on December 27, 1999.
• He played his 1,000th career game on March 9, 2002.
• He scored his 500th career goal on December 11, 2002.
• On February 15, 2007, he scored his 600th career goal.
• He also got his 1,000th assist on March 22, 2008.

Joe holds almost all the scoring records for the Nordiques/Avalanche team. This includes most goals (625), assists (1,016), and points (1,641). He also played the most games for the team (1,363).

Leadership Qualities

Sakic with Paul Šťastný. When Sakic entered the NHL, he was mentored by Peter Šťastný, Paul's father.

Joe Sakic was known for his quiet but strong leadership. Even when the Nordiques were struggling, Joe showed he cared about the team. He helped motivate his teammates to play their best.

One of his most famous leadership moments was in 2001. After winning the Stanley Cup, he didn't lift it first. Instead, he handed it to his teammate Ray Bourque. Ray had played for 21 years without winning the Cup. This showed Joe's respect and teamwork.

Joe's leadership was very important for the Avalanche. Especially after 2001, when many key players left. He helped keep the team strong for many years.

Awards and Honors

Joe Sakic won many awards during his career, both as a player and as an executive.

WHL and CHL Awards

NHL Awards

International Awards

See also

In Spanish: Joe Sakic para niños

• List of NHL statistical leaders
• List of NHL players with 1000 points
• List of NHL players with 500 goals