Paul Stastny Jersey Card

The new CBA has brought forth innovative provisions, particularly when it comes to Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs); the past CBA tried a few manoeuvers, namely pushing the free agency date back 6 days (to July 7th), but this time around, they went back to the usual date (July 1st), but with an option where teams can start talking about their interest (and courting players) on June 25th, which was today.

And who is the best forward on the market - or at least the best for potentially the longest time? That would be Paul Stastny, career member of the Colorado Avalanche, and son of Hall Of Famer Peter Stastny, who played for the franchise's previous incarnation, the Québec Nordiques.

I cannot fathom Paul playing for another organization (though he did grow up in St. Louis, a place his father still calls home), unless he ''came back home'' and played for the Montréal Canadiens - sure, they were the Nordiques' fiercest rivals, but they are the last remaining team in the province, and both of Paul's hockey-playing uncles - Anton and Marian - still live in Québec, and he'd be close to his birthplace.

I think for a $1M difference or less per year, he'll choose to remain with the Avs, and continue providing leadership on a team that will only get better. In case he doesn't, though, here is one of the cards I will remember him by with the Avs, from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Series 2 set (card #GJ-ST of the UD Game Jersey sub-set), featuring a burgundy swatch while the card shows him in the Avs' white (away) uniform:

Of course, it comes complete with deceased UD (former) CEO Richard P. McWilliam's certificate of authenticity: