ANAHEIM—Former Ducks players Paul Kariya, 42, and Teemu Selanne, 47, are to be sworn into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 13 in Toronto. Six days later, on November 19, the team will commemorate the two forwards before taking on the Florida Panthers.
Both Kariya and Selanne will be in attendance, standing beside one another for the first time since 2001. The Ducks announced via NHL.com that there will be Kariya and Selanne Hall of Fame products for sale at the Honda Center; proceeds will be donated to charities in the Orange County area. The evening will be devoted to the two gentlemen as the team will showcase videos of the duo in their prime time.
Kariya, who hails from Vancouver, played two years at the collegiate level for the University of Maine before going pro. He was selected fourth overall by Anaheim in 1993, and began his professional career with them in 1994. In 15 seasons with the Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues, he collected 989 points (402 goals and 587 assists), a plus-31 rating, and 399 penalty minutes in 989 games. Kariya made 46 playoff appearances and posted 39 points (16 goals and 23 assists), a minus-7 rating, and 12 penalty minutes. He was also appointed to the First All-Star Team three times during his career. Kariya was nominated for a spot in the Hall of Fame during his fifth eligible year.
Selanne, a native of Helsinki, Finland, was initially selected 10th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1988 and traded to Anaheim in 1995. His NHL career spanned 22 seasons, over which he played for Winnipeg, Anaheim, the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, and again with Anaheim before his retirement in 2014. He has 1,451 games under his belt in which he totaled 1,457 points (684 goals and 773 assists), a plus-95 rating, and 660 penalty minutes. In 130 playoff games, he has 88 points (44 goals and 44 assists), a minus-16 rating, and 62 penalty minutes. He was nominated to the Hall of Fame in his first eligible year.
“Paul and I are honored that the Ducks will host this special night at Honda Center. I’m also very happy that several local charities will benefit from this event. We’re looking forward to sharing this night with our fans,” Selanne told reporters.