Peter Forsberg Opts To Stay in Sweden

Just like that, the Peter Forsberg rumors come to an end.

Well, at least for this season.

Various sources report that the former Avalanche star is going to stay in Sweden to play for the financially troubled Modo of the Swedish Elite League. Rumors (there's that word again) are also floating around that former NHL star (and Forsberg's boyhood friend) Marcus Naslund will come out of retirement to also join Modo.

Both players played for Modo prior to being drafted, so it's likely they feel indebted and understand that they can, at the very least, help fill the stands and generate some buzz around the last place team.

With this signing, it's likely that Forsberg's NHL days have come to an end.

The will may be there, but the 36-year-old's body is at it's breaking point. After a decade of mostly unpenalized cheap shots and nearly a dozen surgeries, Forsberg appears to have finally reached the point (in his mind) where he can no longer play at an elite level.

He appeared to be all set for an NHL return thanks to his newly repaired foot, but has decided otherwise after going pointless in the Karjala Cup, a tournament which featured mostly NHL prospects and aging players who can no longer crack the NHL (like former Bruin P.J. Axelsson, who was Forsberg's line mate).

If we have seen the last of "Foppa," he will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game, despite not hitting any of the major goal or point plateau's in his NHL career.

Despite playing the majority of his career in the late 1990's/early 2000's (a time known as the "dead puck era" due to lack of scoring throughout the league), Forsberg amassed 885 points in only 706 games. He also scored 171 points in 151 playoff games while helping the Avalanche to two Stanley Cups.

Not having been around to see Gretzky, Lemieux, or Orr in their primes, I can admit Forsberg is the best player I've ever seen play the game of hockey, and it's a shame his career may end on such a low note.

But, you just never know with Forsberg. Last time he said he wasn't going to play in the NHL, he signed with the Avalanche within two weeks and was skating with a machine on his leg that helped pump blood to his foot.