Kariya an All-Star Despite Short Season

Paul Kariya was named to start the NHL All-Star game for a second year in a row Friday despite missing the first month of this season because of injury.

Kariya, 22, finished second to Brett Hull of St. Louis among Western Conference wingers, beating Vancouver’s Pavel Bure by fewer than 10,000 votes. Kariya has 31 points in 22 games. He sat out 11 games because of an abdominal injury and two more because of a concussion.

“Since he’s come back, I would say he’s one of the top seven or eight players in the game, as far as dangerous goes,” Ranger Coach Colin Campbell said.

The other Western Conference starters for the Jan. 18 game at San Jose Arena as determined by fan voting include three players from the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche--goaltender Patrick Roy, center Joe Sakic and defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh. Chicago defenseman Chris Chelios is the other starter.

Eastern Conference starters will be announced today. The Ducks will have two players in the All-Star game for the first time if Teemu Selanne is named to the team as a reserve.

“It would be great if that happens,” said Selanne, who represented Winnipeg last season. “Last year, he and I were standing in line together for the introductions, and every time a player was introduced we’d say, ‘What a player he is’ . . . ‘He’s a great player’ . . . ‘He’s unbelievable too.’ It would be nice to be there together now.”

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With Coach Ron Wilson still unsigned beyond this season despite assurances from management his contract will be worked out, his name is likely to start cropping up as coaches fall by the wayside.

Teams can’t contact Wilson without permission from the Ducks as long as he is under contract, but that won’t stop speculation.

His name has already been floated in St. Louis, but probably only because Hull is a big fan after playing for the U.S. World Cup team.

“My agent is in St. Louis now,” Wilson said, deadpan. “It’s Brett Hull. Every time he’s on TV he mentions my name.”