According to Adrian Dater of the Denver Post, the Colorado Avalanche are discussing a new deal with captain Milan Hejduk.
More, from The Post:
Hejduk, the Avs’ 36-year-old captain who suffered through a terrible second half, would like to return for another season. If not with the Avs – which is his overwhelming preference – I’m told there is a chance he’d consider, gulp, signing with another team when/if he becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1.
How much of a chance, I don’t know. Hejduk is keeping his mouth shut for now, but I know there have been discussions between the Avs and his agent, Jiri Crha. Guaranteed, Hejduk would get an offer from a few teams if he goes on the open market. He would not want to uproot his family, which include two young sons, from Denver and there is a chance he’d just retire rather than do that if the Avs don’t want him.
Hejduk has spent his entire 13-year career with the Avs and sits fourth all-time in franchise scoring behind Hall-of-Famers Peter Stastny, Michel Goulet and soon-to-be HOFer Joe Sakic.
He was awarded the “C” in November -- becoming just the third captain in Avalanche history -- though the captaincy coincided with one of his worst seasons ever. He failed to score 20 goals for the first time since 1999, averaged just 17 minutes a game and fell to fourth-line duty late in the year.
Hejduk has re-upped with Colorado in consecutive seasons on one-year deals. The first, signed in 2010, was for $3 million; the second (2011) was for $2.6 million.
