The general manager of the Colorado Avalanche joined fellow Denver icon John Elway in leading his team to a championship from the front office two decades after winning a pair of titles during his Hall of Fame playing career.
A star captain and center when the Avalanche won it all in 1996 and 2001, Sakic secured a third Stanley Cup championship Sunday night as the architect of the star-studded firebolt of a team that dispatched the back-to-back defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
Just as Elway returned his beloved Broncos to the top of the NFL world, Sakic built the Avalanche team just about from scratch. They shook off stumbles and heartbreaking early exits from the NHL playoffs over the last few years to outlast the Lightning and become the first team ever to clinch four best-of-seven series away from home.
With a deep roster filled with top draft hits like Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar and key deadline acquisitions including Josh Manson, Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Cogliano, the Avalanche twice beat the Lightning in overtime, routed them 7-0 in a Game 2 masterpiece and clinched their third Cup with another gem Sunday night.
“Being a GM was fun because you can’t play anymore and it’s good to keep close to the game,” said Elway, who has transitioned into a consultant role with the Broncos following the expiration of his contract earlier this year. “But I’ll tell you what, it’s pretty nerve wracking being the GM.”
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