Class, personified

I'll get to the post-season wrap-up and playoff predictions in short order, but I wanted to say a few words about one of the greatest players in the history of hockey. With three points last night, Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic managed to reach the 100-point plateau for the sixth time in his career, and, at the age of 37, became the second-oldest player to reach such heights. (Gordie Howe managed the same feat at the age of 42.) It is to my chagrin, though not entirely at my displeasure, 20 of those points came at the expense of your Calgary Flames.

Moreover, Sakic had led his team to an incredible 15-2-2 run at the 8th-place Calgary Flames until the end of the season, and gave his adopted hometown something to cheer about in an otherwise average season.

He may not win any major awards and he has missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 1992, but the man continues to impress at his advanced age. As he sits one point back of Phil Esposito for eight place in all-time regular season points, Joe Sakic has done nothing but inch his way higher among hockey's pantheon of greats as each season passes.