Avalanche honor late GM Lacroix with banner raised to rafters

Pierre Lacroix, the late president and general manager of the Colorado Avalanche that constructed two Stanley Cup champions, was honored with a banner lifted to the rafters at Ball Arena on Saturday.

Lacroix, best known for making blockbuster trades that brought Hockey Hall of Famers Patrick Roy and Ray Bourque to Denver, was the architect of both the 1996 and 2001 Cup champions. He
died at age 72
in December.
Former Avalanche players Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Adam Foote carried the banner on to the ice before the game.

"I thought it was great," Forsberg said of the ceremony during an interview during the game broadcast. "Pierre meant a lot to the franchise and a lot to me... He deserves so much to be up there with the rest of our guys. I miss him and I wish he could be here."
Sakic made a speech honoring Lacroix's legacy in Denver.

The Lacroix family was presented with a gift, a painting of the veteran executive lifting the Stanley Cup.

"I think what made him special to me and probably for our group ... he really cared," said Foote, who served as captain for two seasons after Sakic retired. "You realize his presence, that it matters... I think you see all the successful teams have that, whether it's the coach, GM or ownership. I think we were fortunate. He was a real family man, he cared, and we all bought into it. And it worked for so long. I'm going to miss him. I wish he was here to see it."
"It was great, a great honor. I think for the family it was important. I think he would have enjoyed it, for sure, even though he didn't like that kind of stuff," said Eric Lacroix, Pierre's son. "All in all it's awesome and it's good to see these guys come in from Sweden or down the street. It was nice."
--NHL.com Independent Coorespondent Rick Sadowski contributed to this report.