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| DENVER, CO, JULY 2, 2007 - The Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Scott Hannan and forward Ryan Smyth Monday, July 2, 2007. Scott Hannan signed a muti-year contract and Ryan Smyth signed a long-term contract. (THE DENVER POST) / JOHN LEYBA |
| New guys covet Cup Scorer, defenseman enticed by team's commitment to win By Adrian Dater Denver Post Staff Writer Article Last Updated: 07/03/2007 03:47:17 AM MDT At a place called the Blue Sky Grill, Ryan Smyth and Scott Hannan got the red-carpet treatment Monday. Bereft of any big free-agent signings the past four years, the Avalanche eagerly showed off the two NHL stars that put pen to paper Sunday, on a sweltering next-day afternoon at the Pepsi Center bar and grill. Smyth and Hannan, who signed contracts worth a combined $ 49.25 million over a combined nine years, said they can't wait for training camp. Neither player has won a Stanley Cup, but their additions give the two-time Cup winners a better shot than in recent times. I'm really excited and thrilled," Smyth said. "It's obviously a great opportunity to play in a hockey environment. We want to bring the Cup back." Said Hannan: "It's been an exciting couple of days, and Colorado really took it to the next level. It's a great team, a great organization. I've battled against them over the years, and I'm looking forward to playing with them now. The team's dedication to winning is big." Smyth is wasting no time in getting to know his new city better. "I think me and my wife, we're going to be doing some house hunting over the next two days," he said. Both players, and Smyth in particular, said the recruiting efforts by Avalanche captain Joe Sakic played a role in their deciding to come to Denver. "Joe just said, 'Hey, we'd love to have you," Smyth said. "He really expressed the fact that we were really close last year, and when you get in (the playoffs), you never know what happens. I found that out last year in Edmonton." Smyth, who will receive $ 31.25 million over the next five years, said he "flopped back and forth" over prospective suitors Sunday. "It was a stressful time, but in the end we feel great about our decision to come here," Smyth said. "I think (geography) was a factor. I think my game is of the Western style a little bit more. My wife and I wanted to try something different and still be in a hockey environment. This place (Pepsi Center) has 19,000 people in it every night, and they've been used to a winner." Avs general manager Francois Giguere said a factor in his decision-making process to woo Smyth and Hannan was their character, which he thinks will result in good team chemistry in 2007-08. "I think they both are guys who want to win more than anything," Giguere said. |