Anaheim Ducks Tales: When Paul Kariya Almost Came Back

Selanne Returned to Win a Cup with the Ducks, Kariya Continued Getting Paid

After the disappointing 2003-04 season the NHL went into a season-long lockout, wiping the 2005 campaign. Kariya took the time to get healthy from the injuries that had been bothering him over his year with the Avs.

Once the lockout came to an end he signed a two-year $9 million contract with the Nashville Predators, making him the highest-paid player in team history. He showed that he was healthy and back to his productive self putting up 161 points without missing a game in his two years.

Once his contract expired, and with the unknown ownership situation at the time with the Preds, Kariya signed on with the St. Louis Blues for three years and $18 million dollars. While playing in all 82 games in 2007-08, his production dipped putting up 16 goals and 65 points on the season. Injuries finally began to take their toll, and in the final two seasons of the contract, he was only able to play a combined 86 games while registering 58 points.

While Kariya did have a chance to celebrate scoring his 400th career goal in his final season with the Blues, the most noteworthy part of that final year was a cheap shot at the hands of Patrick Kaleta. This hit to the head, more or less, was the end of Kariya’s career as this concussion had doctors saying it was time to hang them up.