Paul Kariya Retires After 15 NHL Seasons

One of the most gifted goal scorers in NHL officially called it a career Wednesday afternoon after a lack of progress in recovering from post-concussion syndrome. After sitting out the entire 2010-11 season in an effort to get over the ailment and resume his NHL career, Paul Kariya elected to go the safe route and end his tenure in the NHL after 15 seasons between the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.

"Today, I announce my retirement from professional hockey," Kariya said in a statement released by his agent, Don Baizley. "I would like to thank all of those who have been part of so many great memories - my teammates, coaches, team management and staff."

Kariya entered the league by way of being drafted in the first round (fourth overall) by the expansion Ducks as the franchise's first selection as a member of the league. He was coming off winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top U.S. collegiate player as a member of the University of Maine and would go on produce three 40+-goal seasons, including a 50-goal and 108-point campaign in 1995-96, in nine years with the Ducks. Before leaving for free agency to join Teemu Selanne with the Avalanche, Kariya helped guide the Ducks to their first-ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2003, where he scored a remarkable goal in Game 6 after recovering from a late, blindside hit to the head from New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens that saw him get knocked out and wake up on national television.




Kariya and Selanne failed to achieve their dream of winning the Stanley Cup in Colorado despite taking lower salaries in an attempt to form a super-team of sorts alongside Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic. After the 2004-05 lockout, Kariya chose to join up with the Predators, where he made more money and rekindled some of his scoring touch with 31 markers - the first time since the 2001-02 season that he had reached the 30-goal plateau. After two years in Nashville, in which he helped the organization make the playoffs each season, Kariya signed with the Blues and closed out his career with them while suffering a few different injuries along the way.

Kariya is exactly a point-per-game producer with 989 points in 989 games played. He is also a mutli-time All Star with an Olympic Gold Medal as a member of Team Canada in 2002 and two Lady Byng Memorial Awards to his credit. But the debate begins as to whether he is a Hall of Fame, since the Stanley Cup eluded him and he doesn't really possess any other scoring titles. I'd give him the vote and I'm sure he will eventually find his place among the other hockey greats. He just might have to wait a few years to get the nod.

Either way, it's nice to see Kariya step aside when he knew the time was right and avoid suffering any further damage to his health. He had a bright career, will go down as one of the league's best offensive threats during his prime and should have no regrets about stepping aside after 15 truly entertaining seasons.