Selanne Is Given His Due

Teemu Selanne, the bright light in a season otherwise shrouded in failure and disappointment, was rewarded by the Mighty Ducks with a two-year, $19.5-million contract extension Thursday.

Whether Selanne’s signing and a series of promising trades last week are enough to save General Manager Jack Ferreira’s job remains to be seen, however.

Decisions on Ferreira and Coach Pierre Page won’t be made until after the regular season ends April 19, team President Tony Tavares said.

“Even I will get evaluated at the end of the season,” Tavares said. “It’s not just Jack. It’s everybody in the organization.”

This much is certain: By signing Selanne, the Ducks made a commitment to keep one of their two cornerstones in place until 2002. And they accomplished it without the protracted negotiations that resulted in Paul Kariya’s missing the season’s first 32 games.

“No muss, no fuss,” said Don Baizley, the agent for Selanne and Kariya.

Selanne, whose old contract would have expired in 2000, will receive a $3-million signing bonus in addition to $8 million in 2000-01 and $8.5 million in 2001-02. His base salary this season is $3.4 million. It jumps to $3.55 million next season and $3.6 million in 1999-2000.

Kariya signed a two-year, $14-million contract Dec. 11. The Ducks hoped to extend Kariya’s deal, but talks have been halted while he recovers from post-concussion syndrome that has kept him out of action since early February.

“I’m really happy we came to an agreement,” said Selanne, 27, who leads the NHL with 50 goals and is tied with Wayne Gretzky of the New York Rangers for third in scoring with 83 points.

“I’m happy they brought it up [an extension]. This organization has treated me well. I really think this organization wants to have a good team right now.

“I think it’s a great place to play hockey. I think the timing was good. We all know there’s going to be a great future here.”

It’s the present that has been difficult to stomach, although the Ducks’ mood brightened considerably Thursday.

“For me, it’s a great sign the organization wants to do good things,” said goaltender Guy Hebert, the last original Duck. “Also for the fans, Teemu is a player you don’t want to lose. It’s important for the fans to see the organization wants to keep a player like him. I’m glad to hear that.”

Said defenseman David Karpa, “I think it’s a positive sign. He’s worth it. I think he’s the best player in the league right now.”

Karpa would get no argument from Page, who continues to praise Selanne.

Selanne is trying to become only the fourth player in NHL history to score more than 25% of his team’s goals. With eight games left in the regular season, he has 27.6% of the Ducks’ 181 goals.

“It’s been one of the most impressive performances I’ve seen in sports,” Page said. “With all the adversity we’ve faced, he’s kept the whole thing together. He’s been the ultimate in mental toughness. Challenges kept coming up and he showed people things can be done. It’s a hell of a sign.”

The next order of business for the Ducks will be moving aggressively in the free-agent market during the off-season. Ferreira refused to answer specific questions about his plans, fearful his comments would be viewed as tampering.

But it doesn’t take a Toe Blake to figure out the Ducks could use a world-class center to play between standout wingers Kariya and Selanne.

The Ducks also figure to be in the market for a burly defenseman and an enforcer to better deter the sort of questionable hits Chicago’s Gary Suter delivered to Kariya’s jaw Feb. 1 and Dallas’ Craig Ludwig gave Selanne on March 13.

“I can say this: On July 1, when the [free agent] list comes out, we’ll be aggressive,” Ferreira said.

The Ducks have said that sort of thing before, only to come up short in attempts to land unrestricted free agents such as defenseman Luke Richardson and center Joel Otto.

But signing Selanne to a long-term extension could make the Ducks appear more attractive to free agents such as center Ron Francis and defensemen Steve Duchesne and Al MacInnis, who are believed to be atop Ferreira’s wish list.

“I can’t imagine anyone in the league who wouldn’t want to play with Paul and Teemu,” Page said.

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Bank on It

Top NHL salaries (signing bonuses included):

Player, Team: 1997-98 Salary

Joe Sakic, Colorado: $17 million

Sergei Fedorov, Detroit: *$16 million

Chris Gratton, Philadelphia: $10 million

Eric Lindros, Philadelphia: $7.5 million

Wayne Gretzky, N.Y. Rangers: $7 million

Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh: **$7 million

Mark Messier, Vancouver: $6 million

Pavel Bure, Vancouver: $5.5 million

Paul Kariya, Ducks: $5.5 million

Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh: $5.1 million

* Fedorov also will earn a $12-million bonus if the Red Wings advance to the Western Conference finals.

** Retired, but still being compensated.