"July 7, 1969: Born in Vancouver, British Columbia. The official references to him being born in Burnaby, where he was raised, are incorrect. 1985-86 season: Scores 83 goals in 80 games for Burnaby in bantam hockey. Joins the Lethbridge Broncos of major junior's Western Hockey League for the final three games of the season at age 16. 1986-87: Piles up 60 goals and 73 assists for the Broncos, then is relocated to Swift Current. Dec. 30, 1986: Is aboard the Swift Current team bus when it crashes on a trip to Regina, killing four teammates - Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff. June 1987: Claimed by the Quebec Nordiques with the 15th choice of the NHL entry draft.

He is the Nordiques' second pick of the round. They took defenseman Bryan Fogerty at No. 9. December 1987-January 1988: Wins a gold medal with Canada at the World Junior Championships, scoring three goals in seven games in the Moscow tournament. His teammates include Theo Fleury. 1987-88: In his final major junior season, with the Nordiques and their fans watching closely, has 78 goals and 82 assists in only 64 games. Wins the league scoring title and is named MVP, plus is the player of the year for the Canadian Hockey League, major junior's three-league umbrella organization. Oct. 6, 1988: Makes his NHL debut against the Hartford Whalers and gets his first NHL goal two nights later, against the New Jersey Devils. 1988-89: Has 23 goals and 62 points as a rookie for the Nordiques, who win only 27 games and don't make the playoffs. 1989-90: It gets worse, with Quebec winning only 12 games in his second season. But he further stamps himself as an up-and-coming superstar, with 39 goals for the woeful Nordiques. 1990-91: His 109 points are sixth-highest in the NHL. And he's only 21. 1992-93: After a brief previous stint, he dons the "C" as the franchise's

captain for good. The designation will continue through 16 seasons . . . until his retirement. In Quebec, he is known as "Giuseppe" and the "Croatian Sensation." 1994: Represents Canada as an adult for the first time in international competition, in the World Championships. 1995: Inthe lockout-abbreviated season, he is fourth in scoring (62 points). He has four goals in six games in the Nordiques' loss to the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. 1995-96: Has 51 goals and 120 points. June 10, 1996: After his electrifying postseason performance, coupled with Patrick Roy's work in the net, led the Avalanche, Sakic lifts the Stanley Cup in Miami to symbolize Denver's first

major-league championship. Sakic has 18 goals, one short of the league record held by Reggie Leach and Jari Kurri, and his six playoff game-winning goals are a record at the time. He wins the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP. "You dream about this moment, and it's unbelievable," Sakic says in the Miami Arena dressing room. "We've come such a long way in this organization, from the time we started rebuilding in Queb