The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club would like to extend to the media an invitation to a press conference on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. At that time, Avalanche captain Joe Sakic will make a special announcement regarding his hockey career.

>> press release

And I don't think you need any hints as to what that announcement will be.

Sakic turns 40 today, and just last week was invited to be the greybeard of the Canadian Olympic team's entry in the 2010 Olympics, which will be played right in Burnaby Joe's backyard. Yet, after two injury plagued seasons, he's opted to call it a career, retiring 21 years after first stepping foot on NHL ice with the Quebec Nordiques in 1988-89.

Since that point, he's won one Hart Trophy, one Conn Smythe, one Lester B Pearson and two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche. He has also played 1,378 games, scored 625 goals and had 1,614 points, putting him 14th all time in goal, 11th in assists, eighth in points and 12th in points per game. He was the active leader in assists, points and points per game, and is seventh all-time in playoff points with 188.

Sakic's a surefire, first ballot Hall of Famer for 2012, and is behind only Gretzky, Messier, Howe, Francis, Dionne, Yzerman and Lemieux in the career scoring race.

He's also the best British Columbian NHLer ever, and they would have blown the roof off GM Place had he been around next February to help lead the Canadian team.

So, a tip of the cap to Super Joe. I'm sure he'll find fulfilling employment with the Avs front office soon enough.

UPATE Adrian Dater, a beat writer in Denver who's covered Sakic for an awful long time, has a really nice tribute to him as we learn the Avs captain is hanging up his skates.