Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic held a season-ending news conference Tuesday, less than a week after his team lost Game 7 of a Western Conference semifinal playoff series to the San Jose Sharks. Sakic touched on the following subjects:
— Star center Nathan MacKinnon will not require shoulder surgery after suffering the injury early in Game 7. “Just rest,” Sakic said.
— The Avs would prefer to re-sign star right winger Mikko Rantanen, a restricted free agent, to a long-term contract. But the team would accept a short-term deal with restricted free agency at the end of it if the player and his agents prefer that route.