Kariya Surprised by Trade

Paul Kariya sounded exactly like a kid whose best friend had moved with his family to another school in another town. Kariya and Teemu Selanne always will be buddies, but it won’t be the same.

“It’s been a tough day for me,” the Mighty Duck captain said about hearing the news that Selanne had been traded Monday to the San Jose Sharks.

“I talked to Teemu early this morning. He’s been a real friend and a great teammate for a lot of years. Obviously, I’m disappointed to see him go. Hopefully, this trade will work out for us. It’s tough to lose a person of Teemu’s caliber though.”

After Selanne was traded to the Ducks from Winnipeg in 1996, he and Kariya clicked immediately--on the ice and off. Kariya instilled in Selanne a dedication to a more well-rounded style of play. The gregarious Selanne helped draw the introverted Kariya out of his shell.

“Any time you lose a good friend, someone who has really helped you become a better person and a player in the league, you’re disappointed,” Kariya said. “The chemistry we’ve had is really special. I’ve really enjoyed playing with him.”

Monday’s trade took Kariya by surprise.

“It was a surprise because I didn’t think anything was going to happen, to be honest,” he said. “Obviously, it’s been a tough year for all of us. We haven’t played to our full potential.”

Despite the trade and the departure of his friend, Kariya remains entrenched in Anaheim. He has another season remaining on his contract and has no plans to ask to be traded.

“No, I haven’t changed my mind,” Kariya said when asked if he had any thoughts of leaving. “The organization has made a commitment to me and I’ve made a commitment to them. I want to finish this year on a good note.”