DENVER - The trade seemed preposterous to Maurice Filion at the time.

The Quebec Nordiques' general manager knew he'd be vilified for parting with fan favorite Dale Hunter before the 1987 draft.

This kid, though.

Filion kept seeing images of the kid in his mind. Defenders couldn't knock him off the puck and he had a wrist shot that completely froze goalies. Everything was telling Filion he needed to make the deal with the Washington Capitals.

So the Nordiques sent Hunter to the Capitals for the 15th pick in the draft, and Quebec selected center Joe Sakic.

Filion now laughs at his trepidation.

"We got a pretty good player, huh?'' he said from his home in Quebec City.

One of the elite.

Sakic is nearing the end of his playing days. It's been a career even he couldn't have imagined. He's been MVP of the league, won two Stanley Cup titles with the Colorado Avalanche, led Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2002 and now is the elder statesman of a young team pushing hard for a playoff spot.

"You just hope to play,'' Sakic said. "You don't think of goals and accomplishments. I just wanted to play in the NHL.''

Sakic did more than just play - he's 10th on the NHL career scoring list (1,541 points heading into this weekend), recently passing Paul Coffey. He's 17th in goals scored (594) and 12th in assists (947).

His goal against Detroit on Jan. 20 allowed him to reach the 20-goal mark for the 17th time in 18 seasons. The only time he didn't was in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, when he had 19 goals.

Yet the 37-year-old Sakic is showing no signs of aging. Retirement isn't even a consideration - at least right now. He signed a one-year deal at the start of the season and will continue to do that, so he can re-evaluate his performance after every season.

"At this stage, it's the best way to handle it,'' Sakic said.

He's the quiet, unassuming superstar on a Colorado team filled with rising stars. However, this team is a far cry from the glory days just five years ago when the Avalanche were a veteran-laden - and very talented - group that were perennial Stanley Cup contenders.

But Sakic doesn't mind this role. He started his career with the Nordiques when the team - which relocated to Colorado in 1995 - was undergoing a youth movement. It culminated with a Stanley Cup title in 1996.

Sakic can visualize similar results with this bunch, but whether he'll see it through remains the mystery.

"We've got a lot of talent,'' Sakic said. "Do I have a timetable of how long I'll play? No. As long as you feel like you're contributing, you play. Once that stops, you stop.''

Sakic's the pride and joy of Burnaby, British Columbia. The town even named a street for him - Joe Sakic Way - which runs right in front of a youth hockey rink. His popularity is such that he's known by two nicknames - "Burnaby Joe'' to the fans in the Vancouver area and "Super Joe'' around Colorado.

He may not be an intimidating presence - he's only 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds - but he has one of the most lethal wrist shots in the game, and his speed and intelligence always have him in proper position.

"We're very proud of him,'' Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said. "The way he's playing, he could play until he's 60. He's got the Gordie Howe gene.''

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Sakic holds Nordiques/Avalanche team records in virtually every offensive category. Only five players have tallied more points with one franchise - one being his boyhood idol, Wayne Gretzky.

Turns out, the Great One is also a big Sakic fan.

"There's a few guys who are automatic Hall of Fame, and he's obviously one of them,'' Gretzky said. "I always tell younger guys, if you want to model yourself after a good center, he's the perfect guy.''

Sakic blushes at mention of Gretzky's praise.

"Wow, that's an honor when he says something like that,'' said Sakic, who made his 12th All-Star appearance Wednesday night as captain of the Western Conference squad.

Adds Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock: "He's the most complete player in the NHL.''