Foote traded to Avs!

1
It's 1999 all over again!

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8367880
Avs get Foote back; swap for Salei
By Adrian Dater
The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 02/26/2008 01:39:52 PM MST


Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote during game seven of the Western Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings in Michigan on May 31, 2002. (Getty Images North America | Elsa)CALGARY, ALBERTA — Inside the Avalanche dressing room at the Pengrowth Saddledome this afternoon, the buzz was palpable.

One day after the Avs got Peter Forsberg back, they re-acquired another longtime player and fan favorite, Adam Foote. The Avs acquired the 36-year-old Foote from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional draft choice, and further bolstered their defense by acquiring Ruslan Salei from Florida in exchange for Karlis Skrastins.

Foote, who left the Avs for Columbus as a free agent in 2005, was slated to land in Calgary around 5:30 tonight, and the Avs are hoping he will make it to the arena on time to suit up against the Calgary Flames in an important divisional game.

"For me and everyone that's played with Adam, we're excited that he's coming back," Avs captain Joe Sakic said. "We know he missed it in Denver, and it's going to be great to have him come back. He's a presence in the dressing room and on the ice."

The Avs will give the Blue Jackets a first-round draft pick in this year's draft if they make the playoffs. If they don't, they'll give Columbus their first-round pick in 2009. Foote can be an unrestricted free agent after the season. He waived his no-trade clause to come back to Colorado, and was said to be ecstatic about coming back.

"(Avs GM Francois Giguere) spoke to Footer, and Footer is thrilled to be back here," Avs coach Joel Quenneville said. "We know we've got a stabilizing defenseman who can play big minutes and matchup minutes, in key situations."

About Salei, a 33-year-old blueliner known as a tough player with some offensive skill, Quenneville said: "He's got some good presence with the puck, and some skill on the back end. He's one more puck-moving defenseman that we could use."

While Foote was on his way to Calgary, the Avs did not say when Forsberg would arrive with the team yet. Forsberg, signed Monday to a prorated, $5 million contract for the rest of the season, will not play tonight and is not expected to play Wednesday night in Vancouver, either. There was hope he might be able to play Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings at the Pepsi Center, but a lot will depend on how he feels after skating with the team in practice.

Avs left winger Ryan Smyth called the return acquisitions of Forsberg and Foote "A sign that management wants to win now."

"I hate playing against a guy like Adam Foote, so to have him on your team is a great thing," Smyth said. "He adds so much on the ice as a physical presence and in the locker room too. We know we have 19 games left, and it's important that we play every game like a playoff game."

Asked if he thought Forsberg still had the ability to play at a high level in the NHL, Sakic said: "Well, a few years ago he missed the whole season and came back and led the playoffs in scoring. So, I'm sure if he says he can play still, he'll be fine."

Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
"I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. . . . I'm not a schemer. I just do things."