Joe Sakic

Humble beings have often given rise to some of the world’s biggest stars, amongst those stars sits Joe Sakic. He was born to an immigrant Croatian family in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby. At a young age Joe Sakic showed ambition and drive to become an elite hockey player. What he lacked in size he made up with his skill and emphasis on perfection. He worked his way through high school and landed himself a prolific career in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos, which came to a head in the 1987-1988 season when he won WHL Most Valuable Player and Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year. In 1987, Sakic was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques, which is a franchise that later located to Colorado as the Avalanche.

Sakic lead his team to many titles as captain, which included two Stanley Cups, division championships and president’s trophy. In 2009 Joe Sakic announced his retirement, after being the sole and only captain of the Colorado Avalanche for 16 straight seasons. During his stellar career Joe Sakic played in multiple all-star games and international competitions. His accomplishments include an Olympic gold, world championship gold, world cup of hockey gold and world junior championships gold.

Nevertheless, Joe Sakic’s success is not limited to his career on the ice. He raised a beautiful family with his wife Debbie and his three children. Each summer, Sakic hosts his own charity golf tournament, which benefits the Food Bank of the Rockies. His charity work is estimated to have provided more than seven million meals to poor children and family. Joe Sakic’s charity work lead to him earning the NHL Foundation Player Award in 2007. Fans showed their love and support of their hometown hero in Burnaby when they named a street “Joe Sakic Way”. Throughout his career he has set an example for a number of people. Joe Sakic is a hero to many and an inspiration to all.