Former King Todd Is Claimed Off Waivers

The Ducks claimed center Kevin Todd off waivers from Pittsburgh on Friday, continuing their effort to shore up an offense that drops off sharply after Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne.

Todd, 28, scored 16 goals and 43 points in 74 games for the Kings last season and drew praise from Kings Coach Larry Robinson.

A solid two-way player who has played in 291 NHL games, Todd will be available for the season-opener against the Maple Leafs tonight.

Todd, signed as a free agent by the Penguins this summer, was available on waivers because the Penguins had to remove a player from their protected list after signing free agent defenseman Craig Muni after last week’s waiver draft.

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Kariya’s club record of 118 consecutive appearances will end tonight when he misses the season-opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs because he hasn’t completed rehabilitation from an abdominal muscle injury.

Kariya hasn’t missed a game since Feb. 12, 1995, when he sat out a game in Edmonton because of a sore back, the only game he has missed in his NHL career. He and defenseman Bobby Dollas were the only Ducks to appear in every game last season.

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Left wing Garry Valk, who hyperextended his left elbow in an exhibition game last week, is considered probable for tonight’s game.