At 26, Colorado Avalanche forward Joe Sakic was in peak physical condition — which translated to his game and showed in his numbers.
Colorado Avalanche great Joe Sakic was never considered a big guy at 5-foot-10, weighing 190 pounds, but that's not to say he wasn't a strong player.
In the March 1, 1996 issue of The Hockey News, Sakic revealed his aggressive side but that was not part of his playing style after an altercation with Calgary Flames tough guy Sandy McCarthy.
"Geez, that was stupid," Sakic said. "It was just one of those things. I thought he hit me late and I went into the boards. We scored and I just snapped. I went bonkers. I was an idiot. I just pushed him. Nothing happened, thank God. I'd still be in the hospital."
Sakic was in peak physical shape at the age of 26 and according to his former strength and conditioning coach Lome Goldenberg, "It's all a matter of him having one of the best fine-tuned machines in the NHL."
The late Peter McNab — longtime Avalanche TV analyst — said Sakic had a subtle way of scoring even though he was explosive with "electrifying goals."
More on how Sakic reached his goals, how his game changed to that point in his career and how was emerging as an elite player can be read in the issue. Plus what scouts thought about Daniel Briere ahead of his draft and some throwback memories of what was happening around the league at the time.
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