Avalanche sign Kariya and Selanne

Canadian Football Guy · 07-03-2003, 03:35 PM

TSN Staff

7/3/2003

The Colorado Avalanche are reuniting one of hockey's most dynamic duos from the 1990's, and they're doing it for a bargain price.

The Avalanche signed unrestricted free agents Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne Thursday, making them teammates for the second time. The two played together in Anaheim for six seasons from 1996 to 2001.

The most surprising news about the signings is how little they cost Colorado. NHL management sources have told TSN that both men agreed to one-year contracts for far less than they made last season.

Kariya has signed for an astonishing $1.2 million for the upcoming season, a huge cut from the $10 million he made in each of the last five years in Anaheim. Selanne's deal will pay him $5.8 million, down from the $6.5 million he got last year in San Jose.

Kariya apparently took the cut to ensure that the two men can play together, and to give them a chance to win the Stanley Cup. The one year deal would also make him an unrestricted free agent again next summer, as he would be a 10-year veteran making less than the NHL's average salary.

Ducks General Manager Bryan Murray could not hide his displeasure. "I'm disappointed obviously, I thought we made a considerably better offer for Paul and Teemu," he told TSN.

Murray would not divulge the financial terms of the offers made to Kariya and Selanne by the Ducks, but sources familiar with the discussions say that Anaheim offerd the two players a total of $9 million for the coming season.

With the Avalanche paying only $7 million to the two players, Colorado has salary room to acquire a goaltender if needed, or to pay Patrick Roy should he decide to end his retirement.

With the signings, the Avalanche now have what is without question the most dynamic group of forwards in the league. Kariya and Selanne join last year's NHL points leader Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk, the league's only 50 goal man from last season, and Joe Sakic, who was named the NHL's MVP in 2001.

Between them, the five men have recorded seven 50 goal seasons and eleven 100 point campaigns.

Kariya, Selanne, Sakic and Forsberg also have something else in common: they're all represented by Winnipeg based agent Don Baizley.

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Ksyrup · 07-03-2003, 03:39 PM

It's being discussed in the "playoff hockey" thread, which either needs to be re-named or ended.

sachmo71 · 07-03-2003, 03:41 PM

Rename! Rename!

how about... The Hockey Thread!

Ksyrup · 07-03-2003, 03:42 PM

And for the love of God, it's "Avalanche signs Kariya and Selanne" and "The Avalanche is reuniting one of hockey's most dynamic duos..."! The Avalanche is one team, it is not plural.

A HUGE pet peeve of mine.

sterlingice · 07-03-2003, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ksyrup
And for the love of God, it's "Avalanche signs Kariya and Selanne" and "The Avalanche is reuniting one of hockey's most dynamic duos..."! The Avalanche is one team, it is not plural.

A HUGE pet peeve of mine.

Wouldn't this work like the opposite of a collective noun?

Substitute "The Blackhawks" in there (ok, stop laughing... now... i mean it... I'm gonna go cry now). Sports teams are not treated as collective nouns, rather as plural nouns. Tho, I'm not sure about the grammatical justification for this.

SOMEONE CALL WILLIAM SAFFIRE!

SI

Ksyrup · 07-03-2003, 04:14 PM

My opinion has always been that when discussing the team (or band, where this is abused over and over), and not multiple players (or band members), it should be singular. I know it sounds bad, especially with a name like Blackhawks or Yankees, and maybe that's why it's not used. But, to me, it should be, "The Rolling Stones is a band featuring Lips Jagger."

I may be wrong, but it still ticks me off. Go figure.

07-03-2003, 03:39 PM	#2
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	It's being discussed in the "playoff hockey" thread, which either needs to be re-named or ended. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

07-03-2003, 03:42 PM	#4
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	And for the love of God, it's "Avalanche signs Kariya and Selanne" and "The Avalanche is reuniting one of hockey's most dynamic duos..."! The Avalanche is one team, it is not plural. A HUGE pet peeve of mine. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

07-03-2003, 04:14 PM	#6
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	My opinion has always been that when discussing the team (or band, where this is abused over and over), and not multiple players (or band members), it should be singular. I know it sounds bad, especially with a name like Blackhawks or Yankees, and maybe that's why it's not used. But, to me, it should be, "The Rolling Stones is a band featuring Lips Jagger." I may be wrong, but it still ticks me off. Go figure. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

07-03-2003, 03:41 PM	#3
sachmo71 The boy who cried Trout Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: TX	Rename! Rename! how about... The Hockey Thread!

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