The Avalanche, since the mid-point of last season, have seen a pretty large number of young players suit up in the burgandy and blue unipron.

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In just over 48 hours the puck will drop between the Colorado Avalanche and those sons of bitches from Detoilet. Given this year's overall performance and the fact that the Avs current streak against the Dead Things is at least 0-12, I expect the Avs to put up about as much of a fight as a quadropalegic chihuaha could against an oncoming semi-truck.

But that's where we come in. The winged-wheels may be the current Stanley Cup hacks,  but here is where we get to show that we are we are the better trash talkers. Detoilet can mop up the ice with our Uniprons, but we can wipe up the blogosphere with Chelios' Depends.

Let the trash talk begin!

via i237.photobucket.com

This just came through on NHL LIVE! on the NHL Network.

Apparently, Sakic had hand surgery either last night or early this morning. The details on the NHL Live! radio show were sketchy, but apparently he had some sort of an accident involving a snowblower yesterday (!) and broke three fingers pretty badly (!!!). They are reporting he will  be out at least 3 more months (!!!!!!!!!).

This is just becoming ridiculous. This is not the way one of the greatest players in history shoudl have to ride off into the sunset of his career.

I'll try to get more details as they become available.

Edit: Update from TSN.ca:

The Colorado Avalanche will be without captain Joe Sakic for longer than they originally expected.

The team announced Wednesday, that Sakic will miss approximately three months after undergoing surgery on Tuesday night to repair three broken fingers and tendon damage.

Sakic, who was slated to miss up to six weeks as he recovered from his herniated disc in his back, injured his hand at home in an incident that involved a snow blower.

"Joe's surgery was performed by a hand specialist," said Avalanche Team Doctor Andy Parker. "The procedure went well and he's expected to make a full recovery."

Sakic has only played in 15 games this season, recording two goals and 10 assists.

The 14-13-1 Avalanche are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference.

Edit 2: Adrian Dater's contribution says it all:

Unbelievable.

Edit 3: More from Dater's blog at All Things Avs:

Unbelievable.

Here’s the story I also have up on the denverpost.com main page:

Avalanche captain Joe Sakic will be sidelined at least three months, the team said this morning, after he suffered three broken fingers and tendon damage following an accident at his home involving a snow blower.
Sakic underwent surgery with a local hand specialist Tuesday night, the team said. Sakic suffered the injury Tuesday afternoon at his home. Sakic was already on injured reserve with a herniated disc in his back before the snow blower accident.
Avalanche vice president Jean Martineau said the accident happened to Sakic’s left hand, and that severe tendon damage occurred to one finger. That same finger and two others were broken.
“Basically, it’s a mistake. He’s a 39-year-old adult who made a mistake,” Martineau said. “He put his hand where he should not have put it. He’s, in a way, lucky. He’ll have a full recovery.”
Martineau said he visited Sakic in an unidentified hospital this morning, and that he was “very upset with himself.”
“He’s very, very mad at himself. I’ve never seen him like that, and I’ve known him for 21 years,” Martineau said. “He knows he made a mistake.”
Martineau said Sakic and the team will be asked “Why was a player with a bad back out using a snow blower?”
“You just have to walk with the machine. There was no problem for (Sakic) walking. The machine does all the work and it’s basically just going for a walk,” Martineau said. “It’s just an unfortunate thing that happened.”
The Avalanche said Sakic will not discuss the accident with the media until Dec. 23, after the team returns from a four-game road trip. He is expected to leave the hospital by this afternoon.

According to a 2005 Consumer Products Safety Commission study,
snowblowers were the “fourth leading cause of finger amputations” at
more than 1,000 per year and more than 5,000 emergency room visits.
And, that from 1992-2005 there were a reported nine deaths from
snowblower accidents.

*More thoughts on this: OK look, I know it’s going to be tempting to rip Sakic and make some snide jokes about this, but let’s give the guy a break on this one.
Yeah, I know everybody wants to ask “What the hell was he doing using a snowblower when a) He’s got a bad back and b) he’s got about $70 million in the bank?

I’ve never used a snowblower (and I definitely won’t in the future, after reading some of the scary stats that are in my story, about accidents involving them). But it does seem like it’s just like going for a little walk when I see people using them.

And, as Jean Martineau said, and knowing Sakic well myself can imagine, nobody is beating himself up more about this than No. 19 himself.

Just yesterday morning, after the Avs’ skate, I said hi to Sakic as he was on his way home. He was carrying a few Christmas presents - I think for a charity - and I kidded him about carrying anything with a bad back. He laughed and said they only weighed a couple of pounds.

I wish he hadn’t gone home and decided to clear his driveway himself just a few hours later. But I’m glad he’s still got his fingers at least. Let’s hope he’s back on the ice at some point this season - and he should, according to the timeline at least.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=258282&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl

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So, I personally like it when my team gets alot of shots on goal. The Avs have done a great job geeting a ton of SOG, but their conversion rate is a little in the dumps.

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Per TSN: http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=253964&lid=sublink02&lpos=headlines_main

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