DENVER, 5 July 2003 — The Colorado Avalanche acquired Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne on Thursday, reuniting one of the NHL’s most productive and feared scoring partnerships. In a bold move that sent shock waves through the league, the Avalanche signed the two unrestricted free agent all-star wingers to one-year deals.
Kariya joins from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for the bargain basement price of $1.2 million and Selanne has signed from the San Jose Sharks for $5.8 million.
For parts of six seasons Kariya and Selanne, regarded as two the NHL’s top forwards, terrorized opposition netminders until their partnership with the Ducks was dissolved in 2001 when the Finn was traded to the Sharks.
“We wanted to play together again,” said Kariya. “We had success playing together in the past, we have a great friendship and we wanted to be back together but we weren’t bound by it. “It was a very difficult decision. I became a free agent and I talked to Teemu about what was best for us hockey wise and we both said at the same time, Colorado.
Kariya led Anaheim to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in franchise history, where they lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils last month. However, the Ducks declined to make him a qualifying offer that would have required them to pay the seven-time all-star and team captain $10 million next season. “I came here for the hockey, it wasn’t about the money,” said Kariya, who could have commanded millions on the free agent market. “The $1.2 million was arrived at because it is under the league average. I was an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and I will be an unrestricted free agent again next season.”
Jackets Swoop for
Marchant, Letowski
Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets made another move on the NHL’s free agent market, signing forwards Todd Marchant and Trevor Letowski two days after re-signing center Andrew Cassels.
“Both Todd Marchant and Trevor Letowski are valuable additions to our hockey club,” Columbus general manager Doug MacLean told a news conference in Columbus.
“Todd gives us a speedy center who proved last year what kind of production he can provide when given the opportunity to play on one of the top two lines.
Marchant received a five-year deal worth $19 million, with performance incentives. Letowski inked a three-year contract for $725,000 per season. Marchant had a career best 20 goals and 60 points for Edmonton last season.
He has played all but one of his 680 NHL career games with the Oilers, appearing once with the New York Rangers when he first started. Letowski was not offered a qualifying offer by the Vancouver Canucks. He had 11 goals and 25 points last season. In other NHL moves, the Calgary Flames traded forwards Chris Drury and Steve Begin to the Buffalo Sabres for Rhett Warriner and Steve Reinprecht.
Reinprecht had been acquired earlier from Colorado for prospect Keith Ballard.
Red Wings Sign Hatcher
to Five-Year Deal
In Detroit, Michigan, Derian Hatcher, born in Sterling Heights, Michigan, has seized upon the opportunity to play for the hometown Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings on Thursday gave Hatcher a five-year contract. Although terms were not disclosed, the deal is believed to be worth $30 million.
A finalist this past season for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s top defenseman, Hatcher had spent his entire 12-year career with the Dallas Stars franchise. “We are absolutely thrilled to have Derian Hatcher join our hockey club,” said Red Wings general manager Ken Holland.
“He will be a major building block for our team for years to come.” “Derian is a unique player who grew up in the Detroit area and brings a great combination of size, strength, skill and toughness to our blue line.”
Hatcher, 31, will become the biggest physical presence.
