Ducks at a Glance

1996-97 RECORD: 36-33-13.

* 1996-97 FINISH: Second in the Pacific Division, lost in second round of playoffs.

* WHO’S NEW: Espen Knutsen, Tomas Sandstrom, Brent Severyn, Scott Young.

* WHO’S GONE: Ken Baumgartner, Jari Kurri.

* PROJECTED LINES: Left wing Knutsen (rookie), center Steve Rucchin (19 goals, 67 points), right wing Teemu Selanne (51, 109).

Left wing Sandstrom (18, 42), center Sean Pronger (7, 14) right wing Young (18, 37).

Left wing Matt Cullen (rookie), center Ted Drury (9, 18), right wing Joe Sacco (12, 29).

Left wing Warren Rychel (10, 17), center Mark Janssens (2, 8), right wing Shawn Antoski (0, 0).

* PROJECTED DEFENSE PAIRINGS: Bobby Dollas (4, 18) and Darren Van Impe (4, 23).

J.J. Daigneault (5, 28) and David Karpa (2, 13).

Dmitri Mironov (13, 52) and Severyn (1, 5).

* GOALTENDERS: Guy Hebert (29-25-12, 2.67 goals-against average), Mikhail Shtalenkov (7-8-1, 2.89).

* KEY TO THE SEASON: Signing Kariya to a fat new contract. It’s that simple. The Ducks are a playoff contender again with Kariya in the lineup, but merely an also-ran if he’s sitting at home in Vancouver. The season hinges on Kariya’s rejoining the team as soon as possible. The Ducks were 1-8-2 when Kariya missed last season’s first 11 games because of an abdominal injury.

* OUTLOOK: Kariya and Selanne are the best one-two punch from Anaheim since Tanana and Ryan, and they need to be together to lead the Ducks back to the playoffs. General Manager Jack Ferreira beefed up the second line by signing Sandstrom as a free agent from Detroit and acquiring Young in a trade with Colorado. Ferreira also bolstered a lightweight defensive corps by adding Severyn from Colorado in the waiver draft.