Full Swede ahead: Avs sign Forsberg

Foppa not likely to play for at least a week

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Monday, February 25, 2008

Photo by AP

Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg, of Sweden, stretches before an NHL hockey game in this 2003 file photo in Denver.

Pierre Lacroix's habit of making a big splash at the NHL trading deadline became legendary during his time as Avalanche general manager.

His successor, Francois Giguere, made quite a wave of his own Monday on the eve of this year's deadline by bringing back the popular Peter Forsberg, signing the unrestricted free agent to a one-year, prorated $5 million contract.

Forsberg, 34, had to sign by 1 p.m. today to be eligible for the playoffs.

"I'm very excited to come back to Colorado," he said during a conference call from his hometown of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, where he has been practicing with Modo, his former Swedish Elite League team. "I played there for so long and I know everybody. I started my career with that franchise and it feels good to come back there.

"But definitely when you come in as a 20-year-old, playing with one franchise for 10 years, of course you have some feelings for that."

But is the oft-injured forward over the foot problems that have given him so much grief? Can he perform reasonably close to the level that made him such an elite player in his prime? And can the Avalanche, in a 1-5-1 slump, overcome its four-point deficit in the playoff race with 19 games remaining, starting with tonight's match against the Calgary Flames?

"We all understand that there's still a risk factor," said Giguere, who could make another move today to bolster a defense corps that is without the injured Brett Clark and Jeff Finger, with the return of Rob Blake one possibility.

"We are willing to take that risk, especially when you don't have to give an asset to acquire him. We all believe that Peter can still be a premier player in this league and, hopefully, everything will work out great.

"Many NHL teams were trying to sign him and we're very excited that he's decided to come back with us."

Forsberg, 34, spent nine seasons with the Avalanche and won two Stanley Cups, an NHL scoring championship and the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player.

But, as recently as a week ago, he advised teams through his agent, Don Baizley, that he was unlikely to return to the NHL this season.

So is he just a Flip Foppa?

"I always wanted to be honest with the teams that I was talking to and not to make any false (promises) about coming back," Forsberg said. "I wanted to be honest and say, 'If you want to go in a different direction, please do, and don't wait for me.' Make your moves if you want to do something before the trading deadline.

"I thought it was better for me to say that and then come back if I was going to come back instead of saying I was going to come back and make somebody disappointed."

Forsberg acknowledged it has been "a long struggle" to overcome his foot problems. But he said he has made "steady progress" and expressed confidence he can make an impact with the Avalanche.

"As Francois said, there's still a little risk, but we're both willing to take it," he said. "I think it's going to be fine and I'm excited to come back and play real soon."

The Avalanche will keep its fingers crossed Forsberg is healthy and can stay that way since he hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since suiting up for 75 games in 2002- 03. The Avalanche had been in the hunt for Forsberg all along, and Giguere said he contacted Baizley last weekend.

"Peter established such a great legacy here, that no matter what happens moving forward, that legacy is going to stand," Giguere said. "I know the standards that Peter sets for himself. If Peter says he feels comfortable, that he can come back and play, there's no doubt in my mind that he'll come back and be successful."

Coach Joel Quenneville suggested Forsberg would play left wing with Joe Sakic or Paul Stastny.

"Welcoming Peter back gives you a lot more versatility, a lot of options," he said. "Instantly, I think our power play is improved. . . . Whether he plays with Joe or whether he plays with Paul, certainly those are probably going to be the fit."

Forsberg isn't likely to be in the lineup until next week at the earliest. The Avalanche was making travel arrangements Monday and Forsberg might be available to practice in Colorado on Friday.

The Avs begin a four-game homestand Saturday against Los Angeles, but Forsberg said he would need more than one practice before playing in an NHL game for the first time since last spring's playoffs with Nashville.

"There's no timetable and there's no exact game when I'm supposed to come back," he said. "Of course, there's not that many games left in the season, so I'd like to get back as soon as I can.

"When I go back to Colorado, I'd like to have a really good game the first game, I have to say that. I've been thinking about that and hopefully it will be very soon."

Forsberg left the Avalanche as a free agent after the 2004-05 lockout to sign a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, who last season skidded to the worst record in the league. Forsberg was dealt to Nashville before last season's trading deadline, but the Predators lost to San Jose in the first round of the playoffs.

Forsberg in the NHL

Regular season

Season Team Games Goals Asts. Pts. +/- PIM PP Shots Pct.

1994-95 Quebec 47 15 35 50 17 16 3 86 17.4

1995-96 Avalanche 82 30 86 116 26 47 7 217 13.8

1996-97 Avalanche 65 28 58 86 31 73 5 188 14.9

1997-98 Avalanche 72 25 66 91 6 94 7 202 12.4

1998-99 Avalanche 78 30 67 97 27 108 9 217 13.8

1999-00 Avalanche 49 14 37 51 9 52 3 105 13.3

2000-01 Avalanche 73 27 62 89 23 54 12 178 15.2

2002-03 Avalanche 75 29 77 106 52 70 8 166 17.5

2003-04 Avalanche 39 18 37 55 16 30 3 85 21.2

2005-06 Philadelphia 60 19 56 75 21 46 8 132 14.4

2006-07 Philadelphia 40 11 29 40 2 72 5 63 17.5

2006-07 Nashville 17 2 13 15 5 16 1 36 5.6

Totals 697 248 623 871 235 678 71 1,675 14.8

Playoffs

Season Team Games Goals Asts. Pts. +/- PIM PP Shots Pct.

1994-95 Quebec 6 2 4 6 2 4 1 13 15.4

1995-96 Avalanche 22 10 11 21 10 18 3 50 20.0

1996-97 Avalanche 14 5 12 17 -6 10 3 35 14.3

1997-98 Avalanche 7 6 5 11 3 12 2 18 33.3

1998-99 Avalanche 19 8 16 24 7 31 1 54 14.8

1999-00 Avalanche 16 7 8 15 9 12 2 54 13.0

2000-01 Avalanche 11 4 10 14 5 6 1 23 17.4

2001-02 Avalanche 20 9 18 27 8 20 0 35 25.7

2002-03 Avalanche 7 2 6 8 3 6 1 23 8.7

2003-04 Avalanche 11 4 7 11 6 12 1 16 25.0

2005-06 Philadelphia 6 4 4 8 2 6 1 12 33.3

2006-07 Nashville 5 2 2 4 2 12 0 7 28.6

Totals 144 63 103 166 51 149 16 340 18.5

Avalanche at Flames

* When: 7 tonight.

* Where: Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta.

* TV/radio: Altitude; KKFN-AM (950).

* Leading scorers

Colorado (31-26-6) G A P

C Paul Stastny 18 32 50

LW Andrew Brunette 12 28 40

RW Milan Hejduk 20 19 39

LW Wojtek Wolski 14 25 39

RW Marek Svatos 26 8 34

Coach:

Joel Quenneville

Calgary (33-22-8) G A Pts.

RW Jarome Iginla 38 37 75

LW Kristian Huselius 21 35 56

C Daymond Langkow 25 28 53

D Dion Phaneuf 13 32 45

D Adrian Aucoin 8 22 30

Coach:

Mike Keenan * Injuries: Colorado - D Brett Clark (dislocated shoulder) and LW Cody McCormick (chest contusion) are on injured reserve; D Jeff Finger (hand) is day to day. Calgary - LW David Moss (ankle) and LW Alex Tanguay (neck, shoulder) are out.

* Sidelight: The NHL trading deadline is at 1 p.m. today and Flames general manager Darryl Sutter said Monday that Tanguay, the subject of numerous trade rumors, would not be dealt. "You guys have made that soup for two months, haven't you?" Sutter said. Tanguay, who has a no-trade clause, has next year remaining on a contract that will pay him $5.25 million.

* Notes: The Avalanche is 1-1-1 in the first three games of its five-game trip and has totaled nine goals in the past seven games, posting a 1-5-1 record. . . . The power play is 1-for-13 on the trip and 1-for-31 in seven games. . . . Left wing Ryan Smyth has gone nine games without a point and Hejduk seven games without a point. . . . The Flames have limited teams to four goals during a four-game winning streak and have moved into first place in the Northwest Division.

• February 25, 2008

  3:26 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Shaupeen writes:

  Welcome back Foppa! Now, can we get some new ankles for this guy? And maybe another spleen.

• February 25, 2008

  4:13 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  thinky1 writes:

  Welcome home, Foppa! We missed you!

• February 25, 2008

  4:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  EZBakeOven writes:

  Woo hoo! Now, can we get Roy and Foote too ;-) ?

• February 25, 2008

  4:53 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  RustyWon writes:

  Even if his ice time is limited, his presence will be a boost to a sagging team. Forsberg is a fan favorite, a cup winner, and a gritty hockey player. We need defensive help too, but at this point, anything is beneficial.

• February 25, 2008

  5:14 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  queenjacyln writes:

  This is great news! I understand Foppa is still a risk but the reality is we get a huge boost without having to trade someone away. With getting Sakic, Staz and Smyth back in the lineup and now adding Foppa is like getting half of an all star team playing for us again.I knew he'd never sign with Philly, stupid east coast media. They thought because the GM went all the way to Sweden they were the front runners...but everyone knows Foppa's heart is in Colorado.

• February 25, 2008

  5:35 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  With bad ankles, why would he go to a team who has a good chance of missing the play-offs? And with Sakic, Stasny, Svatos, Hejduk and Smyth, is another Forward really what we needed? No. Ray Bourque, Adam Foote, Rob Blake, the next great Defensemen is what the Avalanche needed. We have Forwards out the wazzoooo.

• February 25, 2008

  5:54 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  farsidefan writes:

  I doubt if the Av's are finished with player decisions.
  Big defenseman is sorely needed right now.
  Barry Beck where are you when we need you ? :)

• February 25, 2008

  6:01 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spidey writes:

  Peter "The Great" Forsberg is BACCCCKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!! YAY!

• February 25, 2008

  6:40 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  GJrodburner writes:

  My guess, with Peter coming back to the Aves, is that the team will now use the abundance of forwards we have to secure a deal (along with some of our future draft choices) and go out and sign a defensman of some importance and substance.

  I can't stand the fact that we didn't have him a few weeks ago when the team was shutout by Detroit. I hate the fact that he didn't have on the home sweater when we were lit up by St. Louis; and it is even more galling that he wasn't in the roadie last night when we lost at Edmonton! So I am not looking for miracles, but any close approximation to one will do at this point in the season, and I do believe that Peter Forsberg can be that minor-miracle. Our lack of grit as a team didn't occur until Peter left this organization. I do believe that Adam Foote was a big part of our chemistry in the grit department, but when Peter left this team, that part of our game, especially in front of the oppositions net, went too. When was the last time we had a player be able to skate into enemy ice and not get knocked off of the puck? Where Detroit was, to us as a team back in 1996-2001, the Ducks are now. I look forward to Todd Bertuzzi and Chris Pronger trying to muscle Forsberg. I grant you that it will be a completely different Forsberg at this point in his career as opposed to what he was in those stated glory years; but Peter will change the Ducks approach like nothing they have ever seen. Being a grunt with a stick will not work for the Ducks now. I'll bet money that the Ducks move a player or two to come up with one more thug to lay-on Peter should these two teams meet in the W.C.P.O's.

  Joe Q has his work cut out for himself now. There will be no excuses for this team not making it too the third round of the Western Conference playoffs. None. So Joe Q here is some simple advice: win now and do it often. No playoffs, no job.

• February 25, 2008

  7:11 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  queenjacyln writes:

  I know having Forsberg back isn't going to be some miracle. But if he helps us win even one more game than we would have, he's worth it. The opposition will have to put their best D men out on him, leaving an opening for our other forwards. If he even sparks the power play a little then it will help. I also love the fact we didn't give ANYTHING up to get him, no prospects, no young guys.

  The Avs are not going to be like how they were in the Cup years, those days are over. But the Avs are building a strong team that will be competitive for years. The problem is there is so much parity in the league and there are so many darn 3 point games. There is still a lot of hockey left, especially games against our division. Also if you look at teams like Phoenix who have to play an awful lot of games against Dallas, San Jose and Anaheim. Some teams are a bit artificially higher in the standings than others. I say the Avs have a good change to make the playoffs, they just need to climb out of the slump. But if they can get 4 or 5 points this week they will be right back in it.

• February 25, 2008

  10:05 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  titancain writes:

  Profesional sports teams have nothing to do with Denver. The players leave and return based on cash. Why would anybody care?

• February 26, 2008

  9:35 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  pcordoba writes:

  Don't be strange that idiot Q put him in the checking line or in the defense.
  Wasted money.
  The Avs must retire his number 21 sweater and that's all.
  There is no hope.
  The problem is not the team.
  Coaching and management are the problems.

• February 26, 2008

  9:59 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  dilligaf writes:

  WOW!!!! If they don't make the playoffs Peter will only have to play 14-16 games for about a million. Not bad. For him.

• February 26, 2008

  10:05 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  thecritic writes:

  Great, now that the showboat's back, I'm sure all of the regular players are thrilled. After all, they've carried the team to this point only to have Mr. Ego show up for the final few games and take credit if they make the playoffs. What did he do for Nashville or Philly?