[Dion]

So, when Sakic called Colborne on Friday, the first day of the National Hockey League’s annual free agent frenzy, and convinced the 26-year-old to sign with the Avalanche, he jumped at the chance.


“To have him looking forward to having me on the team and to have me be apart of this team ... that’s pretty amazing,” Colborne said.

Of course, the fact that he suited up for the Denver Pioneers for two seasons (from 2008 to 2010) influenced his decision.


To him, outside of playing for his hometown team for the rest of his career, Colorado was the next-best destination.


“Pretty much,” Colborne said. “There were some pretty good offers from some pretty good teams. This is almost like a second home for me. I had two unbelievable years at DU and kept in touch and have been back visiting every summer since.


“It’s a real good option for me.”

“It’s a business,” said Colborne, the perennial winner for Calgary’s local Peter Maher media-nominated “good guy” award. “I understood that. I was obviously surprised when Calgary didn’t qualify me. But decisions have to be made. I’m going to look back on these last three years as the best of my life. It’s going to be tough now leaving some of the best friends I’ve made ... there are going to be so many people I’m going to miss. But I have to realize I have a great opportunity in a city that’s almost like a second home.”

http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/07/01...d-joe-colborne