Originally posted by ScarAs much as I like Kariya, I think he's extremely overrated. With the money the Ducks are saving they can afford a couple of players who can contribute far more than Kariya could.
I hardly think Kariya is overrated. I think he's rated right where he should be, as a great offensive player (previously) stuck on a poor offensive team. He finished 13th in the league in scoring, but if you take all of the guys out who were on teams that were in the Top 10 in goals scored these are your points leaders:
Lemieux, PIT 91 Palffy, LA 85 KARIYA, ANA 83 Prospal, TB 79 Lecavalier, TB 78
That's pretty good. Also, his +/- was -3, not very good, but Anaheim's overall goal differential was only +10. Vancouver had a goal differential of +56, and Hart Trophy finalist and Pearson Award winner Markus Naslund only had a +/- of +6, not too much better, especially when you consider that he scored 21 more points than Kariya.
I agree Kariya was overpaid at $10 million, but I'm not sure that you could find a couple of players for that kind of money to contibute far more than 83 points and -3. The #50 scorer in the NHL scored 60 points, so I'd think double that would be considered far more than Kariya's total of 83 points, but can you get two top 50 players for much less than $10 million?
Washington Huskies, 2003 Pac-10 football champs. Coming soon.
Paul Kariya is as dynamic of an offensive player as there is in the game. Just witness his brilliant play for Canada in the Olympics.
In Anaheim, Kariya was forced into a system, which was the only way a team like Anaheim can compete. His role no longer became that of a superstar goal scorer and free wheeling offensive machine, he just became another cog in the Mighty Ducks wheel.
Getting out of Anaheim was the best move Kariya's ever made. Now he can actually showcase his talents and play a style more suited for his abilities.
I don't think his numbers will be through the roof with the Avs because there's only so much puck to go around with Selanne, Sakic, Forsberg and Hejduk. But I'm sure you'll be seeing Kariya back as a regular fixture on the highlights.
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