Shocking details surface about Avalanche legend's career in Colorado
Photo credit: Brian Bahr / Mile High Sticking
According to a recent report, Avalanche fans have an unexpected reason to be grateful to Hollywood star Harrison Ford, who played a pivotal role in saving Joe Sakic's career during his time in Colorado.
The Avalanche franchise would have looked very different if Sakic had ended up with the New York Rangers.
Shocking details emerge about Sakic's time in Colorado.
Graham Tiedtke from Mile High Sticking writes that the Avalanche fans are well aware of the team's rich history filled with star players and Hall of Famers. Even back when the franchise was the Quebec Nordiques, there were several notable figures. What many might not realize is that during the 1997 offseason, a historic moment was inevitable, one way or another.
"Joe Sakic, a top-2 player in team history, was a restricted free agent during that offseason. He was sent an offer sheet from the New York Rangers, and it appeared as if the Avalanche were about to lose him. Suddenly, that ended up not being the case. However, it's perhaps the most unique story of any free agent story out there." -Tiedtke
At the time, the team was owned by Ascent Entertainment, a company involved in producing a film starring Harrison Ford. The movie, Air Force One, was co-financed by Ascent Entertainment, and surprisingly, Joe Sakic's future with the Avalanche became tied to the movie's success.
"Luckily, or perhaps as planned, the movie generated $315 million at the worldwide box office, including just under $173 million at the United States box office. The Avalanche had just seven days to match the $21 million offer sheet, which included $15 million upfront. The timing just couldn't have been better." -Tiedtke
Without Sakic, it's hard to imagine the Avalanche winning their second Stanley Cup in the 2000-01 season. Replacing a player of his caliber would have required a major signing, but if the team had the funds for such a signing, they would have surely invested in their captain. Paying tribute to the documentary "Saving Sakic", it's fair to say that Harisson Ford played a key role in preserving Sakic's legacy and, in turn, saved the Avalanche from a devastating loss.
At the end of the day, there was simply no replacing Joe Sakic. The Avalanche were bailed out by the unexpected success of a blockbuster film, and there's no shame in fact. In fact, Avalanche fans can thank Harisson Ford for his unlikely, but pivotal, role in preserving the future of the franchise.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 18 | 37 ANSWERS Shocking details surface about Avalanche legend's career in Colorado Would the Avalanche have been that successful without Joe Sakic on their team? | ||
| yes | 5 | 13.5 % |
| no | 32 | 86.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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