Here is an article on the Kariya and Selanne signings from the Denver
Post.

Yes, unbelievable. "Why can't we get players like that?" (i.e., Boston
Bruins)

Thom Davis
UNH72

Go Cats!


View this article
View Denver Post
avalanche
Avs sign Kariya, Selanne
Adrian Dater, Denver Post Sports Writer
Thursday, July 03, 2003 - One word describes what happened at Avalanche headquarters this
morning: Unbelievable.
The Avalanche shocked everybody in the hockey world by signing
unrestricted free agents Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne each to one-year
contracts.
Now for the really unbelievable part: Kariya, who made $10 million last
season with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, will play with the Avalanche for
$1.2 million next season - with no bonuses or incentives, the team
confirmed.
That shows how much Kariya wanted to play with the Avs. Selanne, a former
76-goal scorer, will earn $5.8 million for the coming season, meaning the
Avs have two of the league's most prolific scorers locked up for a
combined $7 million - well within the team's budget.
The Avalanche will introduce Kariya at a press conference at the Pepsi
Center at 2 p.m. Selanne is out of the country.
The Avs' group of top six forwards now includes two Hart Trophy winners -
Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic - plus three more previous 50-goal scorers in
Kariya, Selanne and Milan Hejduk.
Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix said last week the team would not
be active in the free-agent market, but at such a bargain rate for Kariya,
it was something the team could not refuse.
Before Selanne was traded to the San Jose Sharks late during the 2000-2001
season, Kariya and Selanne were teammates with the Mighty Ducks and worked
well together. They probably will play on a line with Sakic.
Kariya, Selanne, Sakic and Forsberg all have the same agent - Winnipeg,
Manitoba's Don Baizley.
Sakic and Kariya, both from British Columbia and former Canadian Olympic
teammates, are close friends. Selanne has long been an admirer of the
Avalanche's style of play, particularly that of Forsberg, and it is
possible the two will play together on a line.
The Avalanche's power play figures to be fearsome, perhaps one of the
greatest combinations of talent in NHL history. Rob Blake and Derek Morris
should man the points (although Kariya has done the same in the past with
Anaheim) and Colorado will have a choice of Forsberg, Selanne, Kariya,
Sakic and Hejduk down low for their rotation of three forwards.
Unbelievable, indeed.