Reunion of the Dynamic Duo?

I’d like to take a moment to write some of my thoughts on #9. No, not Bobby Ryan. The other #9. Don’t pretend like you don’t know who I’m talking about. Regardless of your feelings on the topic, there is no denying that the Ducks very easily could have failed as a franchise had it not been for Paul Kariya.

Paul Kariya. I can hear the boos raining down on me from the internet for saying his name in a Ducks blog. I cringe every time he touches the puck at the Honda Center and the arena erupts with displeasure. But despite the negative feelings shared by many hurt Ducks fans, I still remember everything he did for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Paul Kariya was the Ducks’ first son, their very first draft pick going at #4 overall in the 1993 Entry Draft. Being the first pick of a brand new franchise, expectations were high for the young winger. After spending one more season playing college hockey, he joined the Ducks and expectations were quickly met. Over the course of nine seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Kariya scored 300+369=669 points in 606 games, good for second behind Teemu Selanne. Kariya also trails Selanne in points per game by a mere 0.024.

Not only is he among the top in franchise statistics, Kariya is also a leader on the ice. Even at a young age, he set a notable example with his focus and determination, and his heroics in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals will always be remembered. In just his third season in the NHL, Kariya was given the C to become the franchise’s third captain, serving for seven seasons until he left the team in 2003.

And there it is again. I can feel the hostility surging as I mention Paul Kariya’s unceremonious abandonment of the team he had promised a Stanley Cup. But instead of returning to lead the team he had grown with, that had raised him and cherished him, he chose to play in Colorado. A stacked team just two seasons removed as Stanley Cup champions, many Ducks fans believe that Kariya chose the easy way out. Instead of leading his own team to glory, he chose to join a team already poised to win. The message perceived by fans in Anaheim was, “I don’t believe I can win a Cup with the Ducks, I think I’ll win one in Colorado instead.”

But is this really the message that Kariya meant to send? Nobody knows but him. Sure, the honorable thing would have been to stay with the team and fan base that had invested so much in him, especially after having promised to bring the Cup to Anaheim. There’s no disagreement from me there. But when I found out that he was going to be playing with long-time friend Teemu Selanne again in Colorado, I was happy for them. So much so that I wasn’t mad that he left Anaheim. Extremely sad, but not angry. I was excited that the two players who made magic happen on the ice would be skating together once more. Our game deserves to see that type of chemistry flourish and captivate audiences around the entire NHL. If not in Anaheim, then why not in Colorado?

We should also remember that hockey is both a game and a job, and that the players are human like you and me. For something that takes up so much of everyday life, it’s understandable to want to be in the company of close friends. And for Kariya and Selanne, linemates and friends that mean so much to each other, the prospect of accomplishing the ultimate goal of hockey together would have been a tremendous temptation.

Of course we all know how that season went for Kariya and Selanne and their new team, and the rest, as they say, is history.

But what if it’s not all in the past? There is plenty of talk about a potential reunion of the Dynamic Duo, this time back in Anaheim. Could the magic still be there? Bringing Kariya and Selanne back together to the building in which they amazed the world would be a fairytale ending to two storied careers (whenever that day comes).

Would it be the right fit? It’s no longer the Arrowhead Pond. The colors and crest have changed. The coach and the system are both drastically different. Kariya would be older than all but 4 players on the roster. Not to mention the roster is crowded up front and weak on defense.

But would I welcome Paul Kariya back to Anaheim? The team’s first ever draft pick. The team’s longest-serving captain. 2nd all-time in goals. 2nd all-time in assists. 2nd all-time in points and points per game. 2nd all-time in power play goals. 1st all-time in short-handed goals. 2nd all-time in game-winning goals. 3rd all-time in games played. The face of the franchise for nine seasons and the reason many Californians—myself included—took interest in the game of hockey and the Anaheim Ducks to begin with. So would I welcome Paul Kariya back to Anaheim? Wouldn’t you?