Avalanche sign Iginla: Wants to follow in Bourque's footsteps: 'That's a hope one day'

The Colorado Avalanche had an interesting first day of free agency as they saw Paul Stastny take his talents to St. Louis just days after trading P.A. Parenteau to Montreal for Daniel Briere.

The return after July 1 was 37-year-old Jarome Iginla and the 36-year-old Briere. 34-year-old Brad Stuart was the only defenseman the Avalanche picked up.

Iginla certainly believes the team is moving in the right direction, "With this group, I think the sky is the limit," he told The Denver Post.

"When I think of some of the teams that have had success in the NHL in the last five or six years, I think of Chicago; they were a very young, very talented team that moved up very quickly, that had a very talented young core when they won."

A three-year deal will keep Iginla in Colorado for what he hopes is a storybook ending. One like Ray Bourque, who left Boston in March of 2000 and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche that year.

"That's a hope one day," Iginla, who is without a Cup as he nears the end of a tremendous career, said.