Monday, February 25, 2008

Forsberg fools us all (well everyone outside of Denver)


"We're proud to announce to our fans that Peter Forsberg has decided to come back and play with our franchise where he's enjoyed so much success early in his career."--Colorado Avalanche executive Vice-President and General Manager Francois Giguere, announcing the return of Peter Forsberg to the Avalanche.


When last we heard of the Perils of Peter, the most talked about foot from Sweden had apparently decided that he wasn’t quite up to a comeback for this year.

That was last week, and with his decision supposedly made, the teams in the Forsberg Derby turned their attention to other prospects, as all the while it seems that Francois Giguere flew below the radar and grabbed the former Av to return him to the Rocky Mountains, with Forsberg signing a one year deal today to finish off this season in Colorado.

Giguere said contract talks with Forsberg heated up over the weekend, so while the hockey world was fixated on Mats Sundin’s sleepless nights of decision, the Avs were burning the midnight oil and burning their fellow NHL compatriots who had all given up on the prospect of a Forsberg return.

Forsberg will join up with an Avalanche that has just seen the last of their sidelined stars return to the line up with Joe Sakic’s reunion over the weekend with his team. Besides Sakic, the Avs have just finished playing through injuries to Ryan Smyth and Paul Stastny.

While that trio work their way back into playoff shape, they’ll soon find Forsberg lining up along side them, it's expected he'll be ready for action in a bit over a week. The surprising announcement today makes for a move that now showcases the Avs one of the most loaded of teams, that is providing everyone’s maladies remain healed and their return to action and effectiveness isn’t slowed by too much rust.

Should all fall into place over the next few weeks, the Avs have suddenly moved up the list of top contenders heading into the playoffs this spring, providing of course they manage to qualify. The Avs have been struggling in the last few weeks and at the moment are on the outside looking in, Forsberg's first task upon arrival may be to help move the team to within striking distance of a playoff spot and a shot at the second season.

Usually the drama of the trading deadline takes place either weeks ahead of time, or on the day itself, this time it was deadline eve that sent the hockey world talking and more than a few GM’s to scratching their heads as to what just happened!


Globe and Mail--Colorado lands Forsberg
Rocky Mountain News--Forsberg returning to Avalanche

Photo from the Denver News website

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