Kurri Chose Team for Appealing Role

At 36, Jari Kurri is nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career. But he chose to sign a $1.5-million free-agent contract with the Mighty Ducks--not with a top Stanley Cup contender. After all, he has won five. “The Cup is always the thing players have in their minds, but it’s not always going to work that way,” Kurri said Wednesday.

Traded to the Rangers by the Kings last season, Kurri had offers from the Rangers, Vancouver and Dallas. The Ducks want to try him on a line with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. “I’ve got nothing against that,” Kurri said of a line made up by three 100-point scorers, though he hasn’t reached that level since 1989.

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Right wing Roman Oksiuta, out of camp for four days because he was unsigned, has signed a two-year contract and will be on the ice today. . . . The agent for unsigned center J.F. Jomphe said he plans to place Jomphe with an International Hockey League team because of a deadlock over $40,000 in minor league pay. Jomphe has turned down the Ducks’ offer of $250,000 in the NHL or $60,000 in the minors, seeking $100,000 if he is demoted, agent Neil Sheehy said.