Former Avalanche Looking for Title Ring

The Colorado Avalanche players received their Stanley Cup championship rings Sunday, and Warren Rychel hopes he’ll get his today.

“They’ll probably roll it down the hall to me,” said Rychel, who signed as a free agent with the Ducks this summer.

“It’s something you’ll have the rest of your life. No one can take that away once you’ve won a championship,” Rychel said.

“I’ll probably wear it for a couple of weeks, then I think I’ll put it away in a safety deposit box and wear it on special occasions.”

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The Blackhawks, who had four players on the U.S. team that won the World Cup of Hockey, introduced Duck Coach Ron Wilson and goalie Guy Hebert as well as Chris Chelios, Tony Amonte, Gary Suter and Keith Carney in a pre-game tribute. Earlier Wednesday, USA Hockey named Wilson its “elite coach of the year” for guiding the U.S. team to the title. . . . Paul Kariya, in Vancouver seeking treatment for his abdominal muscle injury, received encouraging early reports from his personal physical therapist, Alex McKechnie. Other Duck scratches Wednesday were Garry Valk (sore left elbow), Joe Day and Darren Van Impe.