Scott Hannan recalls with a mixture of fondness and dread what it was like to compete in a playoff series against Peter Forsberg. In 2004, Hannan, then with the San Jose Sharks, was given the task of shadowing Forsberg and being as big a pain for the Swede as possible. The Sharks beat Forsberg's Avalanche in six games, and Hannan's stock as a defenseman soared.

"Oh, yeah, it was a battle," Hannan said. "I remember it well, because we won the series. But it wasn't what I would call 'fun' playing against Forsberg for six games. We had a few conversations between us in that series, but it was good playoff hockey."

Hannan is now an Avs player and Forsberg is working out with Modo, a Swedish hockey team, trying to overcome a balky right ankle and pondering offers from various NHL teams. Count Hannan as an Avs player who would welcome Forsberg as a teammate. But will it happen?

One thing remains true about the player nicknamed "Foppa": He is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Forsberg, 34, is considering a return to the NHL, but his ankle discomfort might scuttle his career for good. Forsberg has tried on more footwear than Imelda Marcos in attempting to get a comfortable fit while skating. According to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Forsberg changed skates several times on Monday during a workout with Modo.

"I know what it takes to play in the NHL, and I have to be a hundred percent fit to go over there," Forsberg told Aftonbladet recently. "I have to be sure. Otherwise, it's over."

Forsberg has kept a low profile in recent weeks, not granting any interviews. His agent, Don Baizley, said Thursday the physical question supersedes the puzzle of where the former Hart Trophy winner will land.

"The No. 1 thing is Peter being physically ready to play," Baizley said. "That's the thing Peter is still trying to determine."

Another question is whether Forsberg is worth the fuss if he does return. He did not lift the Nashville Predators to new heights as a rental player last season. The Predators lost in the first round of the playoffs. He was not a dominant player with the Philadelphia Flyers before that, spending much of his time on the injured list. Even in his last season with the Avalanche, Forsberg seemed to be slipping, evidenced by his playoff series against Hannan's Sharks, when he scored a goal and had two assists in six games.

"Some people think I am an idiot who tries again after all my injuries, but I think I can play a lot better than I've been doing the recent years," Forsberg told Aftonbladet last month. "That is why I don't want to quit and give up. I don't want to retire without having tried absolutely everything."

Forsberg has been skating daily with Modo this week, but he said previously that another setback would mark the end.

"Then it's over," Forsberg said. "If I fail this time, I can retire with a good conscience."

Asked if he thought Forsberg was a worth pursuing, Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said: "I do. I wouldn't have the interest I do if I didn't think so."

Sharks veteran Jeremy Roenick, who was displaced in Philadelphia when Forsberg signed there as a free agent in 2005, said a less-than-perfect Forsberg still would be a great thing for any team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

"He was hurt all year in (2001-02), didn't play at all in the regular season, and was an absolute monster in the playoffs," Roenick said. "He led the league in scoring. His skill won't disappear overnight. But he has had a bad ankle for a few years now. Obviously, that has affected him."

Giguere boosted team morale last season by doing little at the trade deadline, giving a vote of confidence to players already with the Avs. Giguere said his team was good enough, and the Avs went 15-2-2 down the stretch, missing the playoffs by one point.

His interest in Forsberg might be surprising to some, given that the Avs have been winning lately without three top forwards — Paul Stastny, Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth. Those three players could be the equivalent of trade-deadline "pickups."

The question: Do the Avs need Forsberg?

"He's still Peter," is the answer Avs winger Milan Hej-duk gives. "But I don't think everyone in this locker room is thinking about that too much right now. Peter is a great, great player, but we have a good team. I guess we'll just see what happens, but, I mean, who wouldn't want a Peter Forsberg on your team?"