Ducks Sign Knutsen, Miss Out on 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 replace Kurri immediately, but hope he’ll bolster their production on the second line. Knutsen had 16 goals and 49 points in 39 games last season for Djurgarden, his Swedish club team. In three seasons with Djurgarden, he had 32 goals and 102 points in 101 games.

“Hopefully, he’ll give us more scoring on the second line,” Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira said.

Knutsen’s Swedish club team is contesting his deal with the Ducks, maintaining he violated the terms of a five-year contract he recently signed. But Duck president Tony Tavares said the team’s deal with Knutsen was approved by the NHL and international hockey officials, and he expects Knutsen in training camp when it opens in September.

Meanwhile, 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.