"In the lobby of The Ice Ranch complex, the hockey-oriented Colorado Sports Insider newspaper was prominently displayed in a dispenser. The front page showed Joe Sakic watching his huge replica jersey rising to the Pepsi Center rafters on the Avalanche's opening night this season. The headline: "WE BID FAREWELL."

As games and practices went on in The Ice Ranch's two rinks, as parents, skaters and players from as far away as Wyoming waited for their games or ice time, many grabbed a copy of the paper and flipped through it. Most didn't seem to realize that if they really wanted to say farewell, thanks for the memories, or even hello to the likely 2012 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, they could have waited around.

At that moment in the "NHL Rink," the coach wearing the parka, standing behind the bench of the Littleton Hawks Squirt-B Black team, and frequently leaning over to instruct or encourage, was none other than Joe Sakic.

Five months after his retirement announcement, Sakic is the head coach of 9-year-old son Chase's Squirt team and co-coach of 13-year-old son Mitchell's Bantam team. (Chase's twin sister, Kamryn, is into dance and gymnastics.)

"It's really fun," said Chase, who (surprise) wears No. 19 and plays center. "Usually my dad wasn't there at games. But now he's at every practice and game. It's so fun him being my coach!"

Said Coach Sakic: "I didn't know that I'd like it this much, coaching both boys and coming out all the time and seeing how excited they are to play hockey. It reminds you of when you were that age and you wanted to be out on the ice."

That day at The Ice Ranch, the Sakic-coached Hawks — whose other star center is young Matthew Sacco, the son of Avalanche coach Joe Sacco — defeated a Foothills Flyers team 12-2.

"He can really teach you a lot," Matthew Sacco said. "My dad tells me, 'You can learn a lot from him because he's one of the greatest hockey players ever.' My dad encourages me after every game to say thank you, because he's a very good coach."

Said Hawks forward Blake Buchanan: "I think from all his experience of playing in the NHL, he knows more than any coach I've ever had — though I've had really good coaches. He teaches everyone a lot, and I'm glad to have him be my coach. He's a great guy."

Sakic gets a kick out of the assumption that his players are in awe of him. After all, the second time the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup, these Squirts were toddlers.

"I'm just 'Coach Joe' to them," Sakic said. "And that's it. I say, 'Hi guys,' they say, 'Hi, Coach Joe,' and we go about what we do in games and practice."

The night before, the Hawks practiced at South Suburban Arena in Littleton, and Sakic looked comfortable running the show. "All right guys, here's what we're gonna do," he said at one point, diagramming. " 'D' to 'D' off the wall, forwards come back, break out . . . ""