Ducks Score by Signing Knutsen, but Miss the Mark With Davidsson

The Mighty Ducks hope to have strengthened their scoring depth Tuesday by signing Espen Knutsen to a one-year contract with an option on 1998-99.

Knutsen, a member of the 1994 Norwegian Olympic team, will be paid a base salary of $800,000 next season and probably will center the Ducks’ second line. He also is expected to join the Duck power-play unit, perhaps to team occasionally with all-star wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne.

Jari Kurri, who had 13 goals last season, signed Friday with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent.

The Ducks don’t expect Knutsen, 25, to immediately replace Kurri, but hope he’ll bolster their production on the second line. Knutsen had 16 goals and 49 points in 39 games for Djurgarden, his Swedish club team, last season. In three seasons with Djurgarden, he had 32 goals and 102 points in 101 games.

“He’s creative with the puck and an excellent passer,” Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira said. “He’s a skilled forward. Hopefully, he’ll give us more scoring on the second line.”

The Ducks failed to beat Tuesday’s midnight deadline to sign Johan Davidsson, a Swedish forward they picked in the second round of the 1994 draft.

“Obviously, he doesn’t think we’re offering enough money,” Ferreira said. “Sooner or later, the kid’s got to cut the cord and decide whether he’s going to play here or not.”

Davidsson, 22, had 18 goals and 39 points in 50 games while playing for HV 71, a rival of Knutsen’s team in the Swedish league.