 One of the most defining actions of Sakic 's career was at the conclusion of the 2001 playoffs . Defying the NHL tradition of the captain being the first to skate around with the Stanley Cup , Sakic passed it off to teammate Ray Bourque . Bourque , one of the best defensemen to ever play , had been traded to the Avalanche the year before after spending 21 years with the Boston Bruins and setting the record for most games played without winning the Cup . Sakic 's handing of the Stanley Cup exemplifies his classiness and how he performs through actions rather than words . 
