Among other things, Colorado is probably most known for the Rocky Mountains. However, their success in professional sports since the mid-1990s should also be noted. And when thinking of Colorado sports, Joe Sakic always comes to mind as one of the most important figures in history. In their inaugural season in Colorado in 1996, Sakic and the Avalanche forever changed the trajectory of the sports scene by reaching the peak and bringing home the state its first-ever professional sports championship. Not including the injury-shortened final season of his career, the Hall-of-Famer led the team to a historic run of 11 playoff appearances in his 12 years there. Sakic won one more Stanley Cup with the Avalanche as a player in 2001 and one more as a front-office executive in 2022. His success as a player and leader has made an impact so big that he will always be known as one of the top Colorado athletes of all-time and the face of Colorado hockey.

This image is autographed by Joe Sakic with a black paint pen. Sakic’s signature was witnessed by an Upper Deck representative as part of UDA’s 5-step authentication process.