Wondering Out of Crease

After a week of training camp, there has been no progress in the Ducks’ attempts to re-sign Paul Kariya, and fellow all-star Guy Hebert asked Tuesday, “What’s the hold up?”

“I know it’s a slow process,” Hebert said. “You wonder why it takes so long [to sign a player].”

Of Kariya’s continued absence, Hebert said: “I don’t know what’s going on with either side, but for a player sitting in our locker room right now and not seeing our captain and best player, it’s pretty disheartening.

“I don’t know how far apart his agent and the team are because I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. But if Colorado can come up with the cash to match the [New York Rangers’ $21 million] offer to Joe Sakic, it’s realistic to think we can get Paul back here soon.”

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Espen Knutsen rejoined the “A” team after one practice with the second unit and is expected to play in tonight’s exhibition against the Vancouver Canucks at the Pond.

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Al Strachan, hockey columnist for the Toronto Sun, on the contract stalemate between Kariya and the Ducks:

“Hockey genius Tony Tavares, whose only involvement with hockey was to operate a few [arenas] until the Disney people put him in charge of the Ducks, eventually may realize that there is no counteroffer because the original offer was too low to warrant a response.”