Sports is tearing my heart out. Did I sell my soul to the Devil when the Angels won and forgot about it?
Who's the first line in Colorado now? Sakic and Forsberg or Kariya and Selanne? Does it matter?
Signing for $1.2 Million - what's the logic?
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Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne to sign with Colorado
Stars sign one-year deals; Kariya takes big paycut
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Associated Press
DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche has signed unrestricted free agents Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne to one-year contracts, the Associated Press learned Thursday.
Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya last played together during the 2000-01 season.
The signing of the two high-scoring forwards was to be announced at a news conference at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday.
An NHL source said Kariya, who played with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks last season, agreed to a $1.2 million contract. Selanne, who declined his option at $6.5 million with the San Jose Sharks, agreed to a $5.8 million contract with Colorado.
The source said Kariya had specific reasons for signing the relatively low contract figure, but did not elaborate. Selanne was not expected to be at the news conference, remaining in his homeland of Finland.
Kariya and Selanne are two of the NHL's top forwards, scoring 56 and 64 points, respectively, last season.
Kariya, a left wing, has been Anaheim's only real star in recent years. He had six goals and six assists over 21 games this postseason, helping lead the Mighty Ducks to the NHL finals, where they lost to New Jersey in seven games.
The seven-time All-Star has played his entire career in Anaheim, where he was a team leader. He became an unrestricted free agent Monday night when the Ducks declined to make him a qualifying offer, refusing to match the $10 million he made last season.
He holds a string of team records, including most career goals (300) and assists (369).
This season, Kariya played in all 82 games for the second consecutive year, and had 25 goals and 56 points.
Selanne had 28 goals and 64 points last season, leading the team in both categories while improving his two-way game and physical play. He was named the team's most valuable player.
In declining his option, Selanne believed he could make more money on the free-agent market.
He was one of the most attractive scorers available this summer, although it was unlikely he could get a lucrative long-term deal with the expiration of the NHL's collective bargaining agreement looming in September 2004.
