Ducks Left With Only Daydreams

Here’s Paul Kariya skating past the blue line with the puck. He drops it to Peter Forsberg. Forsberg makes a pinpoint pass to Teemu Selanne. Selanne shoots and scores for the Mighty Ducks.

Selanne’s eyes widen and he breaks into a big smile when the idea of a Duck line of Kariya, Selanne and Forsberg is mentioned.

A guy can dream can’t he?

“If I could pick one player other than Paul to play with it would be him,” Selanne said of Forsberg. “He’s the best all-around player in the game right now. I really respect him.”

Too bad for Selanne that Forsberg plays center for the Colorado Avalanche and not the Ducks.

Too bad the Ducks are in no position to trade for Forsberg.

Too bad Forsberg wasn’t on the Ducks’ side Sunday at the Pond instead of making plays for the Avalanche.

Colorado’s 5-2 victory over the Ducks in front of 17,174 at the Pond wasn’t entirely orchestrated by Forsberg. Colorado is too deep, too talented to need one player to take over a game.

But Forsberg still managed to leave his mark on the game. And he left a mark on Kariya’s noggin too.

Forsberg set up the first Colorado goal and the last. He also roughed up Kariya with a wild elbow that drew a penalty midway through the first period.

“It was a stupid penalty by me,” Forsberg said.

Perhaps, but that was about the only mistake he made Sunday.

Every team in the NHL could use a player of Forsberg’s depth and skill. It’s no wonder every team he’s been a part of has been a winner.

He led Sweden to the gold medal over Kariya and Canada in the 1994 Olympic Games.

He was the NHL’s rookie of the year in 1994-95, beating out Kariya among others.

He helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in its first season in Denver in 1995-96. Kariya and the Ducks finished ninth and out of the Western Conference playoffs last season.

If it sounds as if Forsberg’s career has been all about bettering Kariya, it’s only because things have just happened to turn out that way.

It’s nothing personal.

And about that elbow that caught Kariya upside the head in the first period?

“Aw, that wasn’t a big deal,” Kariya said.

Said Selanne: “No, I don’t think they’re rivals. With those kinds of players it’s always a challenge between each other. Both know how good the other is.”

Since Jan. 4, when top scorer Joe Sakic went down with a calf injury, Forsberg has taken on another role: team leader. In doing so, he’s had to shake off an injury that sidelined him for 17 games.

Two assists against the Ducks boosted Forsberg’s total to 36 in only 36 games. He also has 12 goals.

Sakic is expected to resume skating today when the team returns to Denver, which is a scary thought for conference foes.

The Avalanche (32-13-8) has been the runaway leader in the Pacific Division this season. Now imagine what it will be like with Forsberg and Sakic healthy at the same time.

“I don’t know if that’s scary, but we have a good deep team,” Forsberg said. “It didn’t really matter [when he was injured]. The guys just kept going. It didn’t matter who was out there. We all have to do the job.

“I was out and the guys kept winning. I didn’t feel any pressure to return at all.”