Even though University of Maine star and five-time NHL All-Star Paul Kariya didn’t get chosen to the Hockey Hall of Fame Monday, his former UMaine teammate Jim Montgomery said it’s just a matter of time before he is inducted.
Kariya, who has been eligible since 2013, was bypassed in favor of Eric Lindros, Sergei Makarov and Rogie Vachon while long-time player, coach, general manager and team president Pat Quinn was selected in the Builder category.
Kariya’s career was cut short by injuries, particularly concussions, but he still managed to rack up 402 goals and 989 points in 989 career games. He had 16 goals and 23 assists in 46 playoff games.
“I’m disappointed for him,” said Montgomery, the captain and Kariya’s linemate on the 1992-93 UMaine team that won the school’s first national championship.
“He has outstanding numbers and look at the championships he has won,” said Montgomery, the head coach at the University of Denver.
“He was unique. He was one of those rare players who had the ability to take people out of their seats with his speed and ability to make plays at top-speed,” said Montgomery.
The argument against selecting Kariya has been that his career stats are lower than other forwards even though he lost almost an entire season in his prime due to injuries and a contract dispute.
Kariya was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player) in 1997 and tallied 94 goals and 113 assists in 151 games during the 1995-96 and 96-97 seasons with Anaheim.
He had 76 or more points in a season seven times before retiring after the 2009-10 season at age 35.
The two-time Lady Byng (sportsmanship) Award-winner was chosen captain of the Ducks at the age of 21, making him the youngest captain in the league at that time.
Former Maine All-American defenseman Eric Weinrich played against Kariya during his NHL career and called him one of the “more dynamic offensive players of his era.”
“He certainly was an elite forward,” added Weinrich.
Kariya was also on gold- and silver medal-winning Canadian Olympic teams, gold medal-winning Canadian World Championship and World Junior Championship squads, and led UMaine to the national title when he had 25 goals and 75 assists in just 39 games and became the first freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award that goes to the nation’s top college player.
He led the Ducks to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002-03, where they lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils.
UMaine assistant coach Ben Guite feels Kariya deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, pointing out that Kariya’s accomplishments are even more impressive when considering “small, speedy guys didn’t have an advantage like they do today. You could clutch and grab them back then [without getting penalized].”
The NHL has implemented several rules in recent years to eliminate clutching and grabbing and hits to the head, which caused Kariya’s concussions.
“He would be an even more productive player today,” Guite said.
“And until [Teemu] Selanne got there, he didn’t have much of a supporting cast around him,” added Guite. “He was ahead of his time when it came to speed and quickness.”
Weinrich said he doesn’t know the criteria for getting into the Hall of Fame.
“I don’t know what they base it on. Sometimes it seems like a mystery to everybody,” said Weinrich, who found it hard to believe Mark Recchi wasn’t inducted this time around.
Recchi had 577 goals and 1,533 points during a 22-year career and played on three Stanley Cup-winning teams and in seven All-Star games.
The Hockey Hall lists playing ability, sportsmanship, character and contributions to teams and to the game of hockey in general as attributes for induction.
Montgomery said one thing that could hurt Kariya is that he has never been a self-promoter.
“He’s a very private guy. He lets his body of work speak for him,” he said. “He’s not going to campaign for himself.”
Montgomery said during Kariya’s prime and before he suffered his concussions, he was one of the best players in the game.
It has taken most Hall of Famers several years to get inducted.
Makarov had been eligible since 2000 before finally getting chosen and Lindros was first on the ballot in 2010.
Goalie Vachon retired after the 1981-82 season.
“I do think Paul will get in. It’s just going to take time,” said Montgomery.
Montgomery has stayed in touch with Kariya and said he lives in Anaheim, California.
“He is very philanthropic but is private about it. He still works out fanatically and he is an excellent surfer who surfs with some of the best in the world,” said Montgomery, who added that Kariya has made several smart investments.
“He gives me investment tips every time I talk to him,” said Montgomery, who noted that if “every athlete was as smart with his money as Paul has been, there wouldn’t be all these horror stories” about pro athletes losing all of their money.